Grand Mark Lodge.

oE the United States against the United Grand Lodge and Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of England , of which bodies all Mark Master Masons under this jurisdiction are members . While this Grand Lodge , in common with the other Supreme Bodies in Great Britain and Ireland , is unable to concur in the American theory of exclusive territorial jurisdiction , as contrary to Ancient landmarks and to historical fact , it absolutely disclaims all riirht to interfere with the exclusive jurisdiction of the Grand Chapters of the United States . And as regards the Grand Chapter of Quebec , it has every desire that some modus vivendi should be found by which an amicable arrangement of the points

in dispute may be arrived at . .,,,,, The revision of the Constitutions has been a work of considerable labour , now happily concluded , and it is believed that the Text Book of the Order as now presented will be accepted with satisfaction by those for whose guidance it has been prepared . The Board have to acknowledge the receipt of proceedings of Grand Chapters of South Carolina , Nebraska , Arkansas , Michigan , Ohio , and Illinois . The Board have relieved the following cases : —

Bro . G . S . P ., No . 40 ... •¦•... - £ 2 ° ° ° Mrs . S . T . ... ... ... .- - 500 C A . . . ... •••••••••10 0 o " ! A . L . J . ... ... *•- •••10 0 o .. L . M . G . ... ... . ••- 10 0 o

And recommend the following grants for confirmation by Grand Lodge : — Bro . G . S . P ., No . 40 ... ... ... •••£ 30 o o „ J . W . B ., „ 211 ... ... ... - 25 o o „ VV . G ., „ 39 ... ... ... - 2 5 0 o „ VV . H . G .,,, 311 ( daughterof ) . ... ... 20 o o The invested funds are as follows : —

General Fund ... ... ... — £ 2900 o o Benevolent Fund ... ... ... ¦¦¦ 1300 o o Educational Fund ... ... ... — 1900 o o Annuity Fund ... ... ... •••. > 3 oo o o Appended are the accounts of the Grand Treasurer . ( Signed ) G . R . P ORTAL , Past G . M . M . M ., Half-year ending 31 st March , 1 SS 6 . President .

DR . GENERAL FUND . To Balance 30 th September , 1 SS 5 ... ... ... £ 200 12 1 „ Half-year ' s Receipts ... ... ... 94 i 13 2 „ Interest on Investments ... ... ... 91 » 6 s „ Canadian Bonds paid off ... ... ... 200 o o „ Cheque returned paid ... ... ... 200

JC' 436 1 11 DR . BENEVOLENT FUND . To Balance 30 th September , 1 S 85 ... ... ... £ 328 3 9 ,, Half-year ' s Receipts ... ... ... 134 » 7 ° „ Interest on Investments ... ... ... 74 > 3 6 „ Canadian Bonds paid off ... ... ... 600 o o

£ " 37 14 3 DR . EDUCATION FUND . To over paid ... ... ... ... £ 3 3 ° „ Interest on Investments ... ... ••¦ 50 o 6 „ Overdrawn ... ... ... •••33 17 7

£ 92 1 1 DR . ANNUITY FUND . To Donation Right Hon . Lord Egerton of Tatton , D . G . M . ... .. ... ... £ 105 o o „ Transferred from Benevolent Fund ... ... 200 o o „ Interest on Investments ... ... ... ' 18 8

£ 30613 8 CR . GENERAL FUND . By Ordinary Expenditure ... ... £ 70918 5 „ Shcolbred & Co . ... ... ... C 9 o 6 „ Sims & Co . ... ... . ... » 3 iS 6 ,, Donation to Royal Masonic Institution for Boys ... ... ... ... 52 10 o

„ Milne Gasalier ... ... ... S 6 o » S 3 ' 3 5 „ Purchaseof Cape of Good Hope ^ ipercent . Bonds and Brokerage ... ... 205 10 o „ Balance at London and Westminster Bank 374 iS 6 ,, Cheque returned ... ... ... 200

£ ¦ 436 ' CR . BENEVOLENT FUND . By Grants in Relief ... ... ... •... £ 23 2 o o „ Purchase of Cape of Good Hope 4 V per cent . Bonds and Brokerage ... ... ... •••< 5 iC 10 o „ Transferred to Annuity Fund ... ... ... 200 o o ,. Balance at Bank ... ... ... ... 8 9 4 3

£ " 37 ' 4 3 CR . EDUCATION FUND . By Overdrawn , 30 th September , 1 S 85 ... ... £ 25 15 7 „ Education Fees ... ... ... ... 06 5 G

£ 9211 CK . ANNUITY FUND . By Balance at London and Westminster Bank ... £ 306 iS 8 ( Since Invested . )

£ 306 18 S Audited and Approved this 3 rd day of May , iSSC . ( Signed ) CHARLES E . SOPPKT , Auditor . The recommendations in the report having been carried ,

Bro . STRAHAN asked when the brethren might hope to receive copies of the new Constitutions . It was already six months since they were adopted , and in the country lodges and in the Provincial Grand Lodges the brethren wished to know what to do when they were called upon to give any decision . Bro . BrNCKES said they would have been ready now , but there were some elaborate engravings of chains and jewels which had taken a considerable time to prepare , longer than had been anticipated . Although a few copies were printed they were not complete or in a condition to be issued

that day . Every lodge , however , under the jurisdiction of Grand Lodge had had a proof . Bro . Strahan could now see a copy . He confidently expected that in a fortnight they would be ready . The report was adopted . The Earl of KINTORE then said : It is now my pleasing duty , brethren , to put for election the name of the Grand Master designate , H . R . H . the Prince of Wales . ( App lause . ) I think I may assume that his nomination by myself will be endorsed by all the brethren with acclamation . I have to

Grand Mark Lodge.

put formally that H . R . H . the Prince of Wales be elected Grand Master for the coming year . The motion having been seconded by Bro . A . F . GODSON , G . M . of Worcestershire , was carried unanimously . The Earl of KINTORE ; I may add that I have this morning had a letter from the Secretary of his Royal Highness , imforming me that in the event of his election he will present himself for installation on the 1 st of July , at 3 o ' clock in the afternoon . ( Cheers . )

Bro . ROBERT BERRIDGE , G . D . of C , here proclaimed the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M . M . M . On the motion of Bro . ALFRED WILLIAMS , seconded by Bro . A . F . GODSON , Bro . James Moon was unanimously re-elected Grand Treasurer for the ensuing year .

The Earl of KINTORE announced that the G . M . had appointed Canon Portal , P . G . M . M . M ., President of the General Board , and Bros . F . Davison , W . Roebuck , Pearson , A . Williams , R . T . Spice , and T . Cubitt members of the Board .

The following five brethren were elected on the Board : Bros . G . Cooper , P . G . D ., P . M . Bon Accord , T . I . ; C . H . Driver , P . G . I , of W ., P . M . 176 ; A . F . Godson , Prov . G . M . Worcester ; R . Loveland Loveland , P . G . Stwd ., P . M . 63 ; and John L . Mather , P . M . Old Kent , T . I . Bro . BINCKES , G . S ., read a list of brethren from whom he had received letters of apology to the G . M . for inability to attend .

The Earl of KINTORE said the first name on the above list was that of Canon Portal , the President of the General Board . He had met Canon Portal that morning , and was shocked to learn that his absence was caused by the melancholy news of the sudden death of his eldest son in India . He

had no details as to the manner of his death . Considering the rank Canon Portal held in Mark Masonry , and the affection in which he was held , he thought it would be the opinion of one and all now listening to him that it was but fit , and proper , and gratifying to them to pass a vote of condolence with Canon Portal in his affliction . ( Hear , hear . )

Bro . KELLY , in seconding the motion , said that Canon Portal had been of great service to Mark Masonry and to Grand Lodge ever since he had been in Grand Lodge . As representing Leicestershire , he had a vivid recollection of Canon Portal coming to that province , and of the great interest he had always taken in the Order in that province , as well as in others . He had endeared himself to all the brethren , and he ( Bro . Kelly ) need not say one word to the brethren colleectively of the interest they all took in Canon Portal .

The motion was carried " nem . con . " The Earl of KINTORE said that full particulars of the installation of the Grand Master would be given . It would take place in the largest room at Freemasons' Tavern . Bro . BINCKES , G . Sec , said he had received from the Province of Dorset an invitation to the Grand Master to hold the Moveable Grand Lodge at Dorset in 1887 . The Rev . W . Mortimer Heath was present and would be happy to address the Grand Master on the subject .

The Earl of KINTORE said he should be happy to hear Bro . Heath , but he ( the Earl of Kintore ) was no longer Grand Master . Bro . the Rev . W . MORTIMER HEATH said , in the name of the brethren of the Province of Dorset , he had to say that they were unanimous in desiring that the Moveable Grand Lodge of 1 S 87 should be held in that province . The Earl of KINTORE said he should be pleased to make a note of what had been said by Bro . Heath , but it would be for the M . W . G . M . to decide as to the acceptance of the invitation .

Grand Lodge was thereupon closed , and the brethren adjourned to banquet . At the close of the banquet , the usual toasts were proposed . "The Queen and Mark Masonry " having been loyally honoured , Bro . KELLY , P . G . M . Leicestershire , proposed the toast of " The M . W .

Grand Mark Master , the Earl of Kintore . " He said he did it with con * siderable diffidence ; but , remembering that good wine needs no bush , his task was rendered easy . He had held office under every Grand Master in the Mark as yet , and in no instance with greater pleasure than under the present ruler . They were sorry to lose him ; but their consolation was , that they had H . R . H . the Prince of Wales to succeed him .

The GRAND MASTER , in reply , said the director of the music had boen good enough to provide a song in connection with that toast , called " Good Company , " which he hoped would apply all round . For two long years they had been pleased to entrust him with the office , and had on all occasions greeted him with cordiality . One reason for gratitude on his part had been unknown to them , because at the time of his election he was high in office in Scotland , and it was significant of the fact that the hatchet was

buried ; he hoped so deep as never to be found . In both Scottish and English Masonry they should onl y have one thought—the prosperity of the Order . His term of office had been most gratifying j they had increased in numbers , and he had drawn from it many friends . He had thought that on tha advent of the Prince of Wales as Grand Master he should retire ; but it was considered fitting that he should remain as Pro Grand Master . So he was at their disposal for another year as Pro Grand Master , in which capacity it would give him the utmost pleasure to render- all the aid he could to the Mark Degree .

The GRAND MASTER next gave the toast of "The M . W . G . M . M . elect , the Prince of Wales , to which he would add the Princess of Wales and all the Royal Family . " He felt sure they would all do their best to support him loyally when it became his duty to instal his Royal Highness in the chair , his occupancy of which he predicted would cause Mark Masonry to advance with rapid strides .

The toast of " Past Grand Masters " was next proposed by the GRAND MASTER , The Mark Degree as it at present existed was founded in 1856 , through the exertions of those who now occupied the position of Past Grand Masters . They now numbered 382 lodges , and the success was mainl y due to the zeal of the Grand Masters who had , occupied the chair . In this connection he desired to refer especially to their first Grand Master , Canon Portal , who was prevented attending that evening and responding to the toast by circumstances which would secure the sympathy of all present .

The toast of " The Grand Officers , Present and Past , " was next given , coupled with the names of Bros . Robinson , P . G . M . of Kent , and Colonel Burney . Bro . Rev . T . RODINSON , P . G . M . of Kent , thanked the brethren present for the hearty reception of the toast . He especially thanked the Grand Master for the truly Masonic sentiments that had been uttered by him , especially as to his reference to Scotland and the burial of the hatchet . Scotland had been a birthp lace and home of Masonry , and the fraternal