Grand Mark Lodge.

GRAND MARK LODGE .

The Half-yearly Communication to the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters of England and Wales was made on Tuesday evening at Freemasons ' Tavern , when a very large number of Mark Masons both from the provinces and the metropolis attended . Previous to the Grand

Lodge entering upon its business a Lodge of Improvement was held at which Bro . James Stevens P . G . J . O ., presided , and worked the beautiful ceremony of advancement to perfection . Bro . C . T . Speight , G . Tyler , acted in that capacity both at the Lodge of Improvement and

at Grand Lodge , and discharged his duties with the efficiency he is well known to possess . When Grand Lodge was opened , the Rt . Hon . the Earl of Limerick , Deputy Grand Master , presided , in the unavoidable absence of the Grand Master the Earl Percy . The Rev . G .

Raymond Portal , Past Grand Master , occupied his usual post , and among the other brethren who attended were Col . F . Burdett , Prov . G . M . Middlesex and Surrey , as D . G . M ., Bros . Le . Gendre N . Starkie , G . S . W . ; J . C . Parkinson , P . G . J . W ., as G . J . W . ; F . Binckes , G . S . ; Saml .

Bryant , G . M . O . ; James Stevens , P . G . J . O ., as G . S . O . ; Frederic Davison , Dep . P . G . M . Middlesex and Surrey , as G . J . O . ; Rev . D . J . Drakeford , G . C . ; Rev . J . Hordern Jukes , G . C . ; George Lambert , G . S . D . ; E . T . Inskip , G . J . D . ; Geo . Neall , P . G . Insp . of Works , as G . Insp . of

Works ; Thomas Cubitt , G . D . C . ; T . J . Sabine , P . G . A . D . C ., as G . A . D . C . ; T . W . Coffin , Grand Swd . B . ; I . J . H . Wilkins , P . G . Std . B ., as G . D . Std . B . ; William Worrell , G . Org . ; S . Funkensztein , G . I . G . ; Geo . Page , W . A . Scott , Clement Stretton , A . Greatrex , and T . R . Parker ,

G . Stewards ; Major J . Tanner Davy , Prov . G . M . M . M ., Devon ; Percy Leith , P . Prov . G . M . M . M ., Bombay ; Hugh T . Sandeman , Prov . G . M . M . M ., Bengal ; Rev . John Huyshe , P . Prov . G . M . M . M ., Devon ; Thomas Meggy , P . G . M . O . ; J . C . Dibdin , P . G . J . O . ; Rev . C . J . Martyn ,

P . G . Chap ; J . Balfour Cockburn , P . G S . D . ; Morton Edwards , P . G . D . ; Charles Hammerton , P . G . D . C ; Sigismund Rosenthal , P . G . D . C . ; Rev . H . C . Levander , P . G . D ' . C . ; Richard Spencer , P . G . Swd . B . ; S . M . Lazarus , P . G . Org ; J . H . Wynne , P . G . I . G . ; D . M . Dewar , James

W . Smith and Henry Massey , P . G . Stewards ; Geo . Barlow , P . Prov . G . JW ., Middlesex and Surrey ; William Wigginton , Prov . G . J . D . Middlesex and Surrey ; R .. H . Thrupp , P . Prov . G . S . W . Middlesex and Surrey ; F . H . Cozens , P . Prov , G . Org ., Middlesex and Surrey ; C . T . Sparkes .

Prov . G . Swd , B ., Middlesex and Surrey ; C . W . Laidman , P . Prov . G . S . W ., Devon ; T . S . Partridge , Prov . G . Sec , Leicestershire ; Harry Brett ; C . Horsley , No . i ; Davison , No . i ; George Kenning , W . M . No . i ; and many others . The Acting Grand Master entered Grand

Lodge with his Grand Officers and Past Grand Officers in procession , and with all the prescribed regularity , and on taking his scat was saluted with the usual marks of respect . Bro . F . Binckes , G . S . read the minutes of the

Half-yearly Communication of 3 rd June , which were put to the meeting and confirmed . The next business was the nomination of Grand Master for the ensuing year , a duty which was entrusted to

Bro . George Lambert , who 111 performing it said : I rise as requested to propose that our Brother Lord Percy , be re-elected to the high position which he has now filled for a year past . That nobleman is well known to all of you , brethren , for the very successful way in which he

has discharged his duties , and for the kindness and urbanity which have always distinguished him in his progress through life , and which have been the means of obtaining for him the respect and affection of all with whom he comes in contact . He has very much graced the office he holds , and I have much pleasure in moving his

re-election , ( cheers . ) Bro . I . J . Hooper Wilkins : I assure you it gives me much pleasure to second the nomination of Bro . Earl Percy to the post of Grand Mark Master Mason of England and Wales for the ensuing year , ft must be a matter of great regret to every Mark Master , tr . at Earl Percy

Grand Mark Lodge.

was unable to attend to his duties when he was first elected ; but it was a source of infinite congratulation that he shortly so far recovered from the illness under which he laboured as to be enabled to discharge the duties incumbent on him . I believe we could not have a better

Grand Master than Earl Percy , and it is with that faith in his abilities that I take upon myself to second his nomination . Carried unanimously . Bro . James Stevens rose to nominate Bro . J . R . Stebbing for re-election as Grand Treasurer .

In doing so he said after nominating him : He has discharged his duties with the greatest satisfaction to Grand Lodge , and I have no doubt it will give a great deal of pleasure to all those who are present as well as to those who are absent to hear that he has been re-nominated .

Bro . S . Rosenthal : I beg to second it . Our present Treasurer has done his duty nobly . The funds of Grand Lodge have increased to the amount of about a couple of hundred pounds during the last year , and that has entailed on

him a considerable increase of labour . Of course he takes very great care of our funds , and because I have seen he does so I second the nomination of my Bro . Stevens . Carried nctn con .

Bro . F . Binckes , G . Sec , then read the following report of the General Board . " In the six months ending Sept . 30 , 1873 , 327 certificates have been issued . The total number of brethren on the Register of this Grand Lodge to that date being 7232 .

"During the same period the following warrants of constitution have been granted . 164 , Southdown , Hay wards Heath , Sussex . 165 , Egerton , Rock Ferry , Cheshire . 166 , East Sussex , Hastings , Sussex . 167 , Washington , Beechworth , Victoria .

168 , Keystone , Brighton , Sussex . 16 9 , Elliott , Stonehouse , Devon . "Since the commencement of the active working of the degree of Royal Ark Mariner , under the jurisdiction of this Grand Lodge the following warrants have been granted , viz .: Prince Lodge attached to Roberts Lodge of

M . M . M . No . 24 . Sincerity Lodge attached to Sincerity Lodge , No . 35 . Prince Lodge attached to Gibraltar Lodge , No . 43 . Oxford University Lodge attached to University Lodge , No . 55 . Solent Lodge attached to St . Andrew ' s Lodge

No . 63 . Oxford Lodge attached to Cape Stone Lodge , No . 80 .

Franklin Lodge attached to Hiram Lodge , No . 82 . L'Arc en Ciel Lodge attached to Artillery Engineers and Rifle Volunteers Lodge , No . 102 .

Hargreaves Lodge attached to Blair Lodge , No . 113 . Irwin Lodge attached to Carnarvon Lodge , No . 119 . St . Mary ' s Lodge attached to St . Mary ' s Lodge , No . 121 .

Amity Lodge attached to Amity Lodge , 132 . Mount Ararat Lodge attached to Rose and Thistle Lodge , No . 158 . Rainbow Lodge attached to Wm . de Irwin Lodge , No . 162 .

"And 108 certificates have been issued to members of this degree . " With reference to the government ancl working of the degree of Royal Ark Mariner the Board recommend : —

1 . — That a payment of sixpence on each Ark Certificate be made to the Grand Secretary ' s Assistant . 2 . —That all members of the General Board of this Grand Lodge , being Royal Ark Mariners , shall be ex officio members of the Grand Master ' s Royal Ark Council of Advice ; the brethren

nominated as members of such Council being Bros . E . H . Finney , Sen . ; IT . H . Jiiach ; Hugh Heugh ; Arctas Akers ; Benj . Cox ; Alfred Harris ; K . J . Walford ; E . T . Inskip ; II . R . Trigg ; R . IT . -Miller ; F . !•' ,. Remfry ; Morton Edwards ; and Col . Burdett .

Grand Mark Lodge.

Having regard to the increased rent for improved office accommodation rendered compulsory by the annually extending business of Grand Lodge , and to the advance in the price of parchment and of material of every descriptionthe

, Board recommends that the fee payable by private Lodges for registration and certificate of a brother on advancement be raised from 8 s . 6 d . to ios . 6 d . on and from the 1 st of J anuary , 1874 .

Notice of this recommendation has been sent to every lodge , lodges in the Colonies excepted , in which it is not proposed to make any change . The Board has had before it a request for a

decision by Grand Lodge on a disputed point with reference to the non-payment of dues by the Key Stone Lodge , No . 81 , Madras , to the Provincial Grand Lodge of British Burmah , subsequent to 30 th June , 1868 .

Madras and British Burmah were originally united as one province , and continued so until the early part of the year 1870 , when the first Provincial Grand Master of Madras was appointed .

No meeting of the Grand Lodge of the United Province was held after 27 th March , 1 S 68 , and it was not until 30 th September , 1 S 71 that a meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of British Burmah was held . The Key Stone Lodge , No . Si , contend that

no provincial dues ought to be required from them for the period between March , 1868 and September , 1871 , during which the Provincial Grand Master and his Deputy were absentees . No Provincial Grand Lodge was held , that body therefore and thereb y being in abeyance .

In this view the Board cannot concur , adopting the general rules of Masonic practice , as by them the failure of a Provincial Grand Master in the discharge of his duty is not held to absolve private lodges in his , province from the fulfilment of theirs . The Board , therefore , has no hesitation in adjudging that the Key Stone

Lodge , No . Sr , is liable for dues to the Provincial Grand Lodge of Madras and British Burmah down to the date on which the province was severed , and the province of Madras formally created by the installation of the Provincial Grand Master and the constitution of the Provincial Grand Lodge .

To test the opinion of members of the Mark Degree , however , on a question which is confessedly one of some hardship , the President of the Board will submit a proposition to Grand Lodge .

The Board has further been asked to adjudicate on a point of difference between two Mark Master Masons , arising out of remarks published by one and held by the other as reflecting upon him and his friends . The question at issue has reference to both solely and entirely in their

capacity as members of an order with which this Grand Lodge is in treaty alliance , on which ground the Board has declined to adjudicate , or to interfere in any way . The subject , under these circumstances , would not have formed

portion of this report , and is introduced only for the purpose of affording an opportunity for an explanation in Grand Lodge , of the force and bearing of the provisions of the Tripartite Treaty .

The annual festival in aid of the Mark Benevolent Fund , was held in July last , at the Alexandra Palace , and again was attended with very great success , the addition to the Fund heing J £ I 6 O .

To Col . Whitwcll , M . P ., G . S . W ., who presided most efficiently , and to the Stewards who so kindly gave their assistance , the best thanks of the order are due .

The Hoard has purchased a fourth five per cent , bond of , £ 100 in the Canadian Government Securities at a sum of jQtod ios . by which amount the sum to the credit of this Fund on current account 011 30 th September last , viz / 7155 ns . id . has been reduced .

The Board recommends that the next festival shall be held in July , 1874 , and brethren are earnestly requested to act as stewards on the occasion .