Grand Mark Lodge.

The Board recommends that Grand Lodge do authorise the appointment of an Assistant Grand Secretary , and that the necessary alterations be made in the Book of Constitutions .

That the clothing be the same as that worn by the Grand Secretary , with the addition of the word " Assistant" on the emblem on the apron and on the jewel . Bro . the Rev . G . R . Portal , P . G . M ., moved

the reception of this report , and desired to say a word in explanation of the refusal of the Board to entertain the complaint made by one Mark Master against another . The cause of complaint did not arise in a lodge-room of any other

Masonic body , but from a correspondence in one of the public papers . At the same time the correspondence had reference solely to matters connected with the degree of Knights Templar , and it was thought that the Board could not

entertain the complaint till it had been made to the Templar body themselves . But he would take this opportunity of saying that they must all most deeply regret that any Mason of whatever order , especially a Mark Master , had been so unfortunate as to give offence to any other

Mason . But when he had done so , he should have expressed contrition and the matter might have been buried in oblivion . He believed that with all the Masonic professions of love for one another , the outer world must see that there was as much disputing among them as among other bodies .

Bro . H . C . Levander having seconded the motion , it was carried unanimously . Bro . James Stevens moved the first recommendation of the Board given above . The recommendation had been made after careful

consideration and recognition of the great increase that had taken place in the number of Mark Masons , and the ability of the lodges to pay the proposed increase . The income of Grand Mark Lodge had certainly been greater ,

but at the same time Grand Lodge's expenses were increasing . The manner in which the work of Grand Lodge was performed had given the greatest satisfaction ; but there was a necessity for increased office accommodation to carry

it out with efficiency . It was necessary that there should be greater accommodation to retain the Order in the high position which they had been long seeking and had at length attained , and which he trusted they would never recede from . He had had some little experience in regard

to private lodges , and he could state from his own knowledge that the increase would not be objectionable to members of the craft desirous of joining the mark degree , and it was not likely to stand in the way of brethren becoming Mark Masters .

Bro . F . Davison seconded the motion . Bro . Col . Burdett while objecting to the proposed increase , complained that notice by circular had not been given to provincial grand and private lodges . The difference in the present

and the proposed fees appeared to be very slight but still it might be sufficient to deter brethren from joining the Mark degree . He did not speak for himself , because it would not make any difference to him : but he thought if the

country lodges were considered there would be found to be great objection . _ The fee would do very well as it stood , and he thought they might defer raising the fee . Col . Starkie said , that in his province ,

Lancashire , there would be no objection to the increase . Certainly they were influential and wealthy Masons there and were very well organized , and speaking for them he agreed to the proposed increase .

Bro . J . fanner Davy , Prov . G . M , Devon , was sorry to say that although the Masons of his province were very powerful and very zealous they were not overburdened with riches , and he quite agreed with Col . Burdett that it would be

belter if a little delay took place before they raised the fee . The opinions of the whole of the provinces might then be obtained , and they would have better grounds to work upon than they had now . Bro . Sandeman , Bengal , was about to speak on the point , but was informed that the subject did

Grand Mark Lodge.

not affect the colonies at all , as their fee was only 5 s . Bro . Meggy asked whether any communications had been received from provincial lodges on the matter . It was now 6 months since the

recommendation of the Board was agreed to , and there had been plenty of time given for answers to the circulars which had been addressed to them . Bro . Wilkins , W . M . 22 , said his lodge had not received a circular , but afterwards corrected himself and said he had been informed that such

a circular had been received . Bro . F . Binckes said he had sent circulars to all the lodges on the roll of Grand Lodge , and he read answers which he had received from some of them . The Minerva , Hull , disapproved of the

increase ; the Provincial Grand Lodge of West Yorkshire objected to it ; and the Remigius , Lincoln , considered it very undesirable . A lodge at Dorchester hoped it would be necessary . Bro . T . S . Sabine moved and Bro . Scott

seconded as an amendment , that it be referred back to the Board . Bro . T . W . Coffin said he endorsed what had been said by the Prov . G . M . for Devonshire . The fees of the lodges in that province , or the greater part of them were consumed in paying

Grand Lodge dues , and if they were raised the lodge could not bear the extra strain made upon them . Bro . the Rev . John Hi ^ she thought it would be better that the subject should be referred back to the Board .

Bro . the Rev . G . R . Portal said perhaps this would be better , but he thought , as there was so large a Grand Lodge present , it would be a good opportunity for making the brethren acquainted with the relative charges made by this Grand Lodge and the other Masonic bodies . At

present the fee charged by this Grand Lodge was 8 s . 6 d ., in the Craft it was £ 1 7 s . 6 d ., Royal Arch 15 s ., Knights' Templar £ 1 is ., and 18 ° £ 1 is . It was a great object with Grand Mark Lodge to get an increase in its income by ; £ ioo a year , which it would get if the proposed

increase in the fees was submitted to . Tf it was referred back to the Board for discussion , and for the further opinion of all the lodges under Grand Lodge banner , he was afraid that those private lodges would be inclined to take their own individual view of the case , and consulting

their own private interests , rather than the interest of the general body of Mark Masons . If the increase tended to make the body of Mark Masons a trifle more select than it was , the general body would be no losers at all . But entertaining that view , he would propose that a

slight modification should be made in the proposition and that instead of raising the fee to ios . 6 d ., let it be ios . ; which , when a circular announcing it had been sent to all the lodges , he did not think it would be objected to . Bro . James Stevens agreed that this

proposition was entitled to great weight . When he made the motion he spoke from his own personal knowledge and belief of the feelings of Mark Masons in London , without reference to the provinces at all ; but he had been given to understand that there would be a number of Mark

Lodges which would be prepared to endorse the decision proposed to be come to in Grand Lodge . The contents of the letters read by Grand Secretary were quite new to him , and probably that might to some extent have induced him to give a little further consideration

to the matter as one of the Board of General Purposes : but the remarks of the Past Grand Master were very reasonable and if the subject were referred to each individual lodge throughout the kingdom for its opinion , the great probability was that the increase would be objected

to . He did not think he ought to take into consideration only the feelings of the private lodges , but rather the circumstance whether the increase would inflict an injury on the degree itself . If it could be proved that the

proposition before Grand Lodge would be of advantage to the Order generally it ought to be adopted . Taking into consideration also the amount that had to lie paid for certificate fees in all the other degrees of Freemasonry they knew of . Grand

Grand Mark Lodge.

Mark Lodge might expect from its private lodges that a certificate fee of the smallest golden coin of the realm would not be objected to . The expenses of Grand Lodge it had been admitted had greatly increased , and it was merely with a view of meeting the increased expenditure that the proposal was made to increase the fees .

The motion was earned , there being but nine hands held up for Bro . Sabine ' s amendment . Bro . H . C . Levander proposed the second recommendation of the Report , to increase the fees of Honour .

Bro . Charles Horsley having seconded the motion , it was carried . Bro . D . M . Dewar moved and Bro . Wilkins seconded the adoption of the third recommendation , which was also carried .

Bro . Charles Horsley , in moving the fourth recommendation , hoped that the next annual festival in aid of the Mark Benevolent Fund

would be such a one and under such high patronage as to be supported by every Mark Mason . The motion was carried , after having been

seconded by Bro . S . Rosenthal . Bro . the Rev . A . B . Fraser moved the fifth recommendation . Bro . R . H . Thrupp seconded it , and it was adopted without discussion .

Bro . Thomas Meggy moved the sixth recommendation , with regard to the appointment of Assistant Grand Secretary . The time had now arrived when this Grand Lodge , having reference to the important and numerous duties which devolved on the Grand Secretary and the dignity

of his work , thought the Assistant Grand Secretary should be empowered to sign for him . This was so when Grand Mark Lodge was first established . The appointment was however for some reason or other dropped during the last few years ; but as the work of Grand Secretary ' s office

had increased so much it was incumbent on Grand Lodge to invest the Assistant Grand Secretary with some distinction like the officers of Grand Lodge . Bro . James Stevens seconded the proposition . The Acting Grand Master : I need not say

that if Grand Lodge approves of this , the appointment having been sanctioned by Grand Lodge will be under the same incidents as the other appointments of Grand Lodge , excepting the Grand Treasurer's , viz ., that it will be at the disposal of the Grand Master .

Carried unanimously . Bro . Portal said that before bringing before Grand Lodge , the motion that stood in his name , " That the Fee of Honour payable by the Grand Stewards be / i is . " That no Provincial Fees

be in future recoverable from private Lodges during the year when there has been no meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge . He wished to say he thought it a very great pity when the General Board made its recommendation that

the Benevolent Fund Festival should be held in July , they were not able to fix the day on which it should be held , because it was impossible for brethren at the beginning of the year to make a note of it in their diaries and secure the

attendance of the friends they wished to bring with them . The subject had been talked over at the Board , but , as everyone knew , the Masonic Festivals came so thickly that when an appointment for a given day was mentioned , some brother was sure to start up and say " Oh ! but

such and such a festival falls on that clay . " He hoped however that at some future meeting they would be able to fix a day that might not be changed from year to year , by which means brethren would be able to prepare themselves . As regarded the first motion , that the Stewards' fee

be a guinea , he had forgotten that already the Grand Stewards were put to considerable expense in bearing their share of the cost of the festival , and he would withdraw that motion . With regard to the second , the brethren had

heard of the discussion that had arisen at the Board on the dispute between the Provincial Grand Lodge of Madras and British Burmah , and the private lodge there . The Board had really no option in arriving at the decision it had come to , for after consulting with Bro *