United Grand Lodge Of England.

Bro . A LFRED MEADOWS , P . G . S . and P . M . 4 , said , in seconding the proposition which had just been made , he might , perhaps , be allowed to occupy the attention of Grand Lodge for a few moments before it recorded what , he felt sure , would be an unanimous vote in favour of his resolution ; and surely little need be said in support of it , seeing that the substance and purpose of the resolution commended itself alike to the heart and conscience of Grand

Lodge , for , he felt sure , he was expressing the unanimous feeling not oi Grand Lodge only , but of every Mason in England , when he said they were all justly proud of their Grand Master ; that they all delighted in the recognition of his Royal Masonic supremacy , and that so long as His Royal Hig hness was graciously pleased foreign over them with the dignity and wisdom which seemed to be his personal inheritance , so long would they be proud to render

him that willing service which springs alike from personal affection and loyal devotion to the principle of obedience . If any proof were needed to show the wisdom of the choice which Grand Lodge was about to make , it would surely be found in the simple fact of His Royal Highness ' s acceptance of the office which they were all p leased to see him fill ; and sure he was , that if , in the providence of the Great Architect of the Universe , His Royal Hig h-

ness should ever be called upon to occupy any other throne than that of the Royal Solomon , he would find no more true , loyal , and devoted subjects of his sovereignty than the Masons of England . The M . W . G . MASTER in the chair : Brethren , I most cordially endorse all the remarks that have fallen from Bros . Letchworth and Meadows in respect to our Most Worshipful Grand Master . His Royal Hig hness has now ruled

over us for some few years . Let us hope it will be many years he will continue to rule over us . His Royal Highness , we all know , whenever he undertakes any work or any business throws himself into it most thoroughly , and for this very reason he transacts that business , whatever it may be , well . Now , brethren , I can assure you that though , owing to his many engagements , we do not often see him among us ; still , whenever he comes , he

comes and does his duty well . But I can assure you , and the other Grand Officers will bear me out , that no brother can be more prompt in the discharge of his Masonic duty ; and I can only say I hope he will long be spared to rule over us . ( Hear , hear . ) I will now put the motion to you . The motion was carried unanimously , amidst loud cheers , and Sir ALBERT W . W OODS ( Garter ) , G . D . C ., proclaimed His Royal Hig hness the Prince

of Wales Most Worshipful Grand Master for the year ensuing m the usual form . Bro . SAMPSON PEIRCE rose to propose the election of Grand Treasurer ; and in doing so said : M . W . G . M . in the chair , the next business on the paper being the election of Grand Treasurer , I rise with great pleasure to move that our Worshipful Bro . Col . Creaton be elected to fill that important

post , and , not forgetting what took place at this time last year when I made a similar proposal , I trust as it was ruled then , it will be ruled now , that it is desirable that that respected brother remain in the position which he now occupies . I should feel sorry indeed if the Grand Treasurer , or the office of Grand Treasurer , should shrink into a mere nominal service , cr become one merely for extending the area of creating Grand Officers . I trust to see the

office of Grand Treasurer still occupied for many years in the eyes of the Craft , and made a very responsible office , and not limited to the mere checking of the bank book , lass a humble member of Grand Lodge , and I believe all the members of Grand Lodge , expect much more from that office than mere nominal ordinary attention . To my mind , it suggests a general supervision , a close attention to its incomings and outgoings , and a careful

analysis of Grand Lodge accounts . I , therefore , trust the brethren will see the importance of maintaining it as a most useful office , and one not to be treated in any light manner ; and to do this I am convinced that the members of Grand Lodge present will be acting up to their best interests in continuing in the office of Grand Treasurer that brother who , when he was

originally elected , was elected with the full confidence of Grand Lodge , as well able to discharge all its duties , and is capable , and willing , to continue to do so from year to year till the G . A . O . T . U . shall please to remove him . I beg to move " That Bro . Col . Creaton be re-elected Grand Treasurer . "

Bro . J . M . CASE , P . G . D . : I beg leave to second the motion that Col . Creaton be re-elected to the office of Grand Treasurer . Bro . F . BINCKES desired to say but very few words on the motion . It would be remembered that the last two years he took a prominent part in that same motion , but he desired now to demur entirel y from what fell from Bro . Peirce , that there was a ruling on the subject in Grand Lodge . Nothing in the shape of a ruling came from Grand I . orl . ve . and ho honpd

there would never be any ruling which should interfere with the free and unbiassed opinion of the " brethren . Whether it be desirable or otherwise that this office should continue to be held year after year by one brother , or that a change should occasionall y be made , he would not now enter into . It was a matter for Grand Lodge to consider , but he protested against the remarkthat had been made , that there was a ruling by Grand Lodge on the question .

The GRAND MASTER in the chair interposing said bethought Bro . Binckes was taking up the word used by Bro . Peirce rather severely . The word " ruling" certainly escaped him , but he did not think it was meant in the sense which Bro . Binckes applied to it . Bro . BINCKES did not wish that there should be any misunderstanding of the word " ruling-, " which reallv meant that it came from the ¦ chairof f ; .-rm < l

Lod ge . He was not now going to bring forward a hostile motion , and he begged to support the motion just moved . The motion was carried unanimousl y . . Col . CREATON : M . W . G . M . in the chair and brethren , I thank you very sincerel y for the honour you have conferred upon me ; and I assure you whatever duties appertain to the office I have been elected to , I shall perform 'hem to the best of my ability . ( Cheers . )

I he report of the lodge of Benevolence for the last quarter was then read by the Secretary . The following recommendation of grants were unanimously confirmed : — 1 he widow of a brother of the Metropolitan Lodge , No . 1507 , London -----.-.... r- o o The widow of a brother of the St . Tames' Lnrlo-r . N „ -, fir

Southwark - 50 o o A brother of the Howe Lodge , No . 587 , Birmingham - - 75 o 0 A brother of the Victoria Lodge , No . 1056 , London - - - 75 o o A brother of the Silent Temple Lodge , No . 126 , Burnley , Lan-A « sWre - 100 o o wi ° h er Medina Lodge , No . 175 , Ryde , Isle of A brother of the British Lodge , No . 736 , Mauritius - - " - 50 o o A brother of the Isca Lodge , No . 683 , Newport , Monmouthshire 150 o o

United Grand Lodge Of England.

A brother of the Ivy Lodge , No . 1441 , Camberwell - j £ r 0 o o A brother of the Lodge of Merit , No . 934 , Whitcfield , Lancashire ~ „ ,,

The report of the Board of General Purposes was then taken as read and ordered to be received and entered on the minutes . It was as follows To the United Grand Lod ge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons ' of England . The Board of General Purposes beg to report that : —

1 st . —The Lodge No . S 71 ( RoyalOak ) , havinglaid before the Board a formal complaint against Bro . Robert Harman , Immediate Past Master , for retaining in his possession the minute and other books belonging t 0 the lodo-c and refusing to hand them over to the Worshi pful Master , trie Board plo ' - ceeded to deal with the complaint , and caused Bro . Harman , and also the Worshi pful Master and Secretary of the lodge in question , to appear before them .

2 nd . —The matter having been fully gone into and the parties heard , the Board unanimously resolved , and ordered , as follows : — 1 st . —That the lodge books , improperl y retained b y Bro . Robert Harman , I . P . M ., after his vacation of thechairof the lod ge No . S 71 , be handed ' to the Worshi pful Master of the lodge forthwith . 2 nd . —That the conduct of Bro . Harman . in thus imnrnnprlv i-Pbmlnir tt ^

, books of the lodge , is , in the opinion of the Board , a Masonic offence proved to their satisfaction , and that he be , therefore , suspended from all his Masonic functions until the further order of the Board . , ( Signed ) J B . MONCKTON , President . Freemasons Hall , London , W . C ., 15 th February , 1 SS 1 . To the report is subjoined a statement of the Grand LorW .-, rm ,, nr = „(•

the last meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , the nth February ult ., showing a balance in the Bank of England of £ 5977 6 s . Sd and in the hands of the Grand Secretary for petty cash £ 7 ? , and for servants' wages £ 9 6 15 s . GRAND SECRETARY read the report of Bro . R . P . Hardino-. Auditor nf

Grand Lodge accounts , of receipts and disbursements during the year 18 S 0 Bro . G . P . BRITTEN said he did not hear any statement of the invested funds on account of the General Account , and the Benevolent Account respectively . GRAND SECRETARY said that all the accounts would be printed in the report of the meeting .

The G . M . in the chair asked whether that would satisf y Bro . Britten . Bro . G . P . BRITTEN said he should have thought the Grand Secretary could tell Grand Lodge at once what was the amount of the invested funds . GRAND SECRETARY said on the Benevolence Account it was £ 46 , 808 7 s . gd . ; on account of the Fund of General Purposes it was £ 10 478 besides which there was a balance in the books of the Bank at the present moment £ 4054 10 s . 7 d .

Bro . J . M . CLABON then moved "That inasmuch as the recommendation by the Lodge of Benevolence to Grand Lodge , that a grant of £ 100 should be made to a certain brother , came to an end b y his death , the Lodo - of Benevolence be empowered to the extent of that sum to repay any expenses incurred for his benefit during his life , or in relation to his death . " He said it veryoften happened whenagrantto a brother w .-is rwnmmmrl ^ f ^ ri ,.-, „ , i

Lodge there were various kind brethren who advanced sums of money to the brother till the gran t was confirmed . That was the case here . Durin ° - the lifetime of the brother , after the grant had been recommended , they assisted the brother , but he unfortunatel y died , and they had the expenses incidental to his illness and funeral . He now moved his present motion in order that they might be recouped the money they had laid out in expectation that this

recommendation would be confirmed . ( Hear , hear . ) Due enquiry would be made into the amount that had been expended . Bro . J OSHUA NUNN seconded the motion , which was put , and carried . Bro . fuDOR TREVOR then brought on a motion he had on the paper with reference to the action tried at Leeds last August of " Voigt v . Carr , Laking , and Irevor , " and after a long discussion the subject was remitted ' to the Board of General Purposes . Grand Lodge was then closed .

Masonic History And Historians.

MASONIC HISTORY AND HISTORIANS .

W . J . HUGIIAN . I am glad to have published the article on " Esoteric Freemasonry , " by Bro . Albert Pike , as it has led to another by the " Masonic Student , " and one demanding particular consideration from Bro . Gould . It is not easy to deal with such intricate matters as Bro . Gould alludes to , and though he has most ably and clearl y expressed his views respecting thr- orio-i „ and originators of the Grand Lod ge of England , 1716-7 . as welfas oxnosnrl

some ot the errors of our earl y Masonic historians , I , for one , feel that the whole enquiry deserves an entire examination ^ novo , and a nW careful attention to all the so-called / acfa of Masonic history . Fancies of Anderson , Dermott , Preston , and others , have been generally accepted b y subsequent writers without any hesitation whatever , and although there are a few honourable exceptions , it must be admitted that , as a rule , the more modern Masonic historians have emulated the credulity of their predecessors , and blindl y followed them through all their distorted facts and serious misstatements .

I o such an extent has this been the case , that I venture to say , it is necessary , now that many of us are labouring to secure a rational and exhaustive account ot the origin and character of Freemasonry , to subject every assertion of previous historians of the Craft to the most rigid scrutinv . and m « m ,

carefully separate the traditional portions of our records from that which is based upon admitted facts . I am bound to support Bro . Gould even in his exhibition of the weakness of some of the details in Preston ' s " Illustrations , " as well as in works of more pretension , and possessing greater facilities for accuracy and scholarly criticism . J ¦<

In my Old Charges " I mention an error by Preston , which certainly appears incapable of explanation , if we are to allow that brother to be credited with " zeal tempered with discretion , " and a laudable anxiety to promote the actual truth alone . In that work it is said that the "Antiquity MS . contains " 1 hese be all the charges and covenants that ought to be read at the installment of Master , or makeing of a Free-mason or

Freemasons . The words installment of Master are an intentional addition to the document , and ¦ wholl y modern . Take again the assertion of Dr . Anderson , respecting a general assembly of the Craft , 27 th December , 1663 , at which certain regulations were made , one being , " 5 . That for the Future the said Fraternit y of Freemasons