Grand Mark Lodge.

exertions have tended so materially to produce such successful results . The Bight Hon . thc Earl of Jersey , P . G . W ., has accepted the appointment of Prov . G . Master of Berks and Oxon , and there can be no doubt as to the beneficial effect of his lordship ' s rule , supported by the ability and energy of the brethren who have been instrumental in fostering the Order

in the united province . The G . M . has also been pleased to appoint Bro . Thos . Trollope , M . D ., to be Prov . G . M . M . of Sussex . In the same period the following provincial changes have occurred : — - Cornwall—Bro . Col . John Whitehead Peard has been appointed R . W . Provincial Grand Master , vice Sir Frederick

Martin Williams , deceased . Kent—Bro . Rev . Thomas Robinson , M . A ., has been appointed R . W . Provincial Grand Master , uice Bro . Rev . G . W . Sicklcmore , resigned . Somerset—Bro . Gen . H . E . Doherty has heen appointed R . W . Provincial Grand Master , vice Bro . Right Hon . the Earl of Carnarvon , resigned .

The Board , in testifying to the admirable manner in which the duties of their responsible offices have heen discharged by the distinguished brethren , the loss of whose services they regret , have every confidence that the interests of Mark Masonry will be successfully promoted by the brethren whom the M . W , Grand Master has selected as their successors .

It is also with extreme gratification that the Board is enabled to report the re-organisation of the Province of Jamaica under the vigilant care of R . W . Bro . Dr . Hahiilton ( 33 ° ) , and the consequent resuscitation of the Sussex Lodge , No . 42 , followed by the establishment of three new lodges—Clifton Mount Keystone , Kingston , No . 230 .

Royal Keystone , Kingston , No . 240 . Phcenix , Port Royal , No . 242 . All of which are now in a very flourishing condition , with every prospect of continued prosperity . Thc Board have very great pleasure in stating that official information of the recognition of this Grand Lodge by the Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland has been

received , a copy of the communication from the Grand Scribe E . being now subjoined . ¦ It affords the Board the highest satisfaction thus to announce the consummation of efforts extending over a number of years to effect a friendly understanding and fraternal agreement between the two bodies . Extract fiom Minutes of Meeting of the Supreme Grand

Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland , held upon the 18 th day of June , A . D . 1879 , A . L . . 5883 . " Having taken into consideration an application from the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters of England and Wales for recognition , and the interchange of representatives , with relative documents , and the report of the Committee thereon , the Supreme Chapter unanimously resolved to recognise

the Grand Lodge of Mark Masters of England and Wales as a lawful governing body of that Degree in these countries . Farther , that the Supreme Chapter would grant no new Mark warrants therein , reserving the rights of the Supreme Chapter as regards warrants already granted . Farther , that Mark lodges in the Colonies , holding of the Grand Mark Lodge ol England and Wales , be

recognised as lawlul , but that no exclusive jurisdiction be conceded to the Grand Mark Lodge , beyond the countries of England and Wales . Farther , it was resolved to delay consideration of tbe proposal to exchange representatives till next Quarterly Communication , and Comp . Mann , Grand Scribe N ., intimated that he would then move that representatives be appointed . "

Extracted from the Minutes cf the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Scotland , this 17 th day of July , A . D . 1879 , A . L . 5 883 . ( Signed ) L . MACKEHSV , Grand Scribe E . Formal communications with recognition have also been received from the Supreme Giand Chapters of Maine , Texas , and North Carolina , U . S . A .

The Board have under their consideration the arrangement of the work in the Grand Secretary ' s office . They are of opinion that the eminent and lengthened services of the Grand Secretary deserve that he should be excused from attending to the daily routine of the ever increasing business of Ihe . office , and at tlie same time tbat he should retain his full salary . In consideration of the additional labour that will fall

on the Asst . G . Secretary , they recommend that his salary be increased to £ 200 . The Boanl recommends the following grants from the Benevolent Fund : £ to to the widow of a brother , and £ 20 to a brother . The mode of electing the five members of the General Board by Grand Lodge being deemed unsatisfactory , the Board recommends the following alteration in Clause 98 of the Book of Constitutions :

After the woids " at the meeting in June , " on the seventh line , to add — " in manner following ; the names of the several brethren intended to be put in nomination are to be delivered in writing at the Grand Secretary ' s Office at least fourteen days prior to the meeting of Grand Lodge , in order that the names so proposed may be printed in a list , a copy of whicii shall be sent to

every member attending Grand Lodge , when the balloting lists shall be collected by Scrulineers appointed for that purpose , antl the result of the election ascertained and announced . " The Board also recommends tbat in Clause 1 n of thc

Constitutions , the words " signed in open lodge" be added after the word " certificate , " in the first line of thc clause , ( Signed ) G . R , PORTAL , P . G . M ., President . The Grand Treasuret ' s Accounts for the six months to the 30 th September are subjoined , which show : —

Grand Mark Lodge.

GENERAL FUND . Balance from 31 st March , 1879 £ i 43 6 8 Half-year ' s receipts ... ... £ 520 12 9 Dividends ... 24 9 7 54 o 2 4

£ 688 9 o Disbursements 533- 3 9 Balance on 30 th September , 1879 ... ... £ 154 * S 3 BENEVOLENT FUND . Balance from 3 ist March , 1879 £ 76 14 10 Half-year ' s receipts ... . .. * . £ 3 80 9 o Dividends ... ... ... 24 9 7 404 18 7

£ 48 i 13 S Disbursements -. Grants in relief ... ... £ 46 o o Expenses ... 790

Transferred to Education Fund ... 200 o o Purchase of £ 200 Cape of Good Hope Debentures ... 198 5 o 451 14 o

. , , £ 29 19 5 At Credit on account Stewards'Festival a / c . 12 17 o Balance on 30 th September , 1879 ' £ 42 16 5 EDUCATION FUND . Balance from 31 st March , 1876 ... ... £ 100 o o Transferred from Benevolent Fund ... 200 o o

£ 300 o o Disbursements .... ... £ n 2 o Purchase of £ 200 Cape of Good Hope Debentures ... 195 5 ; o ¦ = 209 7 o

Balance on September , 1879 £ 90 13 o Examined and found correct . ( Signed ) THOMAS MEGGY , Auditor . 29 th October , 1879 . The grants recommended by this report were carried , and the salary of tlie Assistant Grand Secretary was raised

to £ 200 a year . Bro . F . Davison , G . T ., who proposetl the addition , and the G . M ., in putting the motion , spoke in the highest terms of commendation of Bro . Deivar ' s diligence in discharging the duties of his office ; and the G . M . explained the reasons Ior . the recommendation ol the Board for

excusing Bro . BinckesJ from attending to the daily routine ol Grantl Secretary ' s Office . It was also explained to the brethren lhat B : o . Binckes ' s salary was really only £ 125 a year , as he paid half of his salary of £ 250 to Bro . Dewar , and that in raising Bro . Dewai ' s salary to £ 200 a year Grand Lodge paid only £ 75 .

Bro . James Lewis Thomas raised the question of the status of Bro . Dewar , antl submitted that the rank of Assistant Grand Secretary was not next immediately after Grand Secreitry , but , as in Grand Craft Lodge , immediately before Grand Inner Guard . A long discussion arose on this subject , when it was

admitted that Bro . James Lewis Thomas ' s contention was correct , that there had been a mistake by the printers of the Constitutions in giving the rank of Asst . G . Secretary immediately following G . Secretary , but that in Bro . Dewar ' s case he was righly invested in order , because he was previously a Junior Overseer .

After the other recommendations had been carried , Col . Shadwell H . Gierke said : M . W . G . M ., I rise to propose a motion which , I am sure , will be received with great pleasure by all the brethren present , and that my feelings will find an echo in every brother ' s breast . Consequently , my motion will require very few words to

introduce it to Grand Lodge . Our present G . M ., Lord Skelmersdale , has for two ycars filled that high office , and he has discharged his duties in that office , as he has . in every other office he has been called upon to ( ill , in so courteous and genial a manner that , I feel confident , it is the hearty

wish of the Order in general that he should continue in thit office for another year . Therefore , I beg leave to nominate the Right Hon . Bro . Lord Skelmersdale for our M . W . G . M . for thc ensuing twelve months . ( Loud applause . )

The following hrtthcsn were then presented with bars and jewels for their services as Stewards of the Benevolent Fund Festival : —Bros . Dr . Ace , Lincolnshire ; Richard Buggett , 182 ,- Baron de Ferrie-res , Gloucestershire ; G . F . Lancaster , Hants anil Isle of Wight ; W . S . Gillard , Dorset ; Walter Spencer , Bon Accord ; Chailes Jacques , Old

Kent ; Thos . D . Bolton , 7 ; B . H . Swallow , 8 ; E . B . Bright , 13 ; E . C . Milligan , 34 ; Capt . Chas . Hunter , 38 ; John Clark , 53 ; Joseph Spencer , 53 ; Thos . J . Pulley , 54 ; E . Diggle , 56 ; R . L . Loveland , 6 3 ; W . I . Clarke , 75 ; R . Berridge , 104 ; R . W . Philpott , 152 ; A . Hopkinson , 156 ; Rev . C . R . Davy , 177 ; J . D . C . Hunter Little , 214

Geo . Dalrymple , 216 ; E . Margett , 235 ; W . Stephens , 236 ; F . F . Halsly , 241 ; Dr . E . Passamer , 244 ; John H . Hale , 245 ; F . W . Ansell , 247 . Before Grand Lodge was closed the acting Grand Master said there was one notice in the report of the General Board which ought not to be passed over in silence , the

recognition of Grand Mark Lodge by the Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland . Nothing had happened of greater importance in the whole of the twenty-three years' history of Grand Mark Lodge , because this recognition completed the claim of acknowledgment of this Grand Lodge , which was now acknowledged by all the Grand Masonic bodies

Grand Mark Lodge.

throughout the world except Grand Lodge of England . He would move that Grand Secretary beinstructed to write to the Supreme Grand Chapter of Scotland , staling that Grand Mark Lodge had heard with very great pleasure of this action of the Grand Chapter of Scotland , and hoped that this woultl bind still closer the ties which united

Grand Mark of England with Grand Chapter cf Scotland . Bro . F . Binckes , in his position as Junior Grand Warden , seconded the motion . The motion was put and carried num . con ., and Grand Lodge was then closed . The brethren afterwards dined together at Freemasons' Tavern .

Festival Of The Emulation Lodge Of Improvement.

FESTIVAL OF THE EMULATION LODGE OF IMPROVEMENT .

The annual festival ofthe Emulation Lodge of Improvement was held on . the a 8 th ult ., at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . C . A . Murton , P . G . D ., took the chair of W . M . ; Bro . W . A . Dawson , P . M . 1768 , took the chair of S . W . ; and Bro . W . S . Lee , S . W . 1201 , the chair of J . W . Bros . Thos .

Fenn , P . G . D ., acted as P . M . ; W . Smallprice , as Secretary ; A . Escott , J . W . 1393 , as S . D . ; A . Marvin , 1768 , as J . D . ; and G . C . Pulsford , S . D . 1593 , as I . G . Amongst other brethren present were Bros . Lord Kensington , S . G . W . ; Gen . Somerset Caltborpe , J . G . W . ; Bent , P . G . C . ; Gibson , G . S . of Wks . ; R . H . Giddy , District G . M . Griqualand ; Colonel Shadwell Clerke , P . G . D . ; H . J . P . Dumas ,

P . G . D . ; M . J . Mclntyrc , G . Reg . ; J . A . Rucker , P . G . D . ; R . Grey , P . G . D . ; T . Fenn , P . G . D . ; and J . M . Case , P . G . D . After the lodge had been opened in the 7 ' hree Degrees the following brethren worked the Second Lecture , Bro . Murton putting the questions : — ist Section by Bro . F . R . Spaull , W . M . 1768 . 2 nd „ „ W . S . Lee , S . W . 1201 .

3 rd „ „ A . Escott , J . W . 150 . 3 . 4 th „ „ G . C . Pulsford , S . D . 1593 . 5 th „ „ A . Marvin , 1768 . Each of the brethren did his work admirably , answering the questions with a fluency that reflected the highest credit on the lodge , and testified to their regular attendance at its weekly meetings . When the working was

concluded , Bro . Thomas Fenn , P . G . D ., rose , and said : The brethren muse have noticed , arid , I am sure , must have noticed with regret , the absence from this lodge this evening of a face which on these anniversary occasions has been familiar to us and to those who have gone before us for a period of upwards of thirty years . I need not say , W . M ., that

I allude to our dear Bro . John Hervey , our most respected Treasurer . The unhappy cause of his absence this evening and his resignation of the office of Grand Secretary is no doubt now well known to us all , and I think , and I am sure , W . M ., the brethren will think with me , that we cannot allow this occasion to pass without expressing antl recording in our minutes our sympathy with Bro .

Hervey in his affliction , our great regard for him , ami our sense of the loss which we have all sustained in his resignation of an office which he has filled for many years with such credit to himself and benefit to the Craft . Without further preface , W . M ., I will read to you tbe resolution which I am about to propose : — " The members of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement , at their

anniversary meeting , have heard with deep regret that their much respected Bro . John Hervey , who has held the office of Treasurer of the lodge for upwards of thiity years , in consequence of serious illness has deemed it necessary to resign the office of Grand Treasurer , the duties of which he has discharged with such eminent ability and conscientious zeal , and so greatly to the advantage and

satisfaction of the Craft . They desire to record on their minutes their sincere sympathy with Bro . Hervey in his affliction , and they trust they may indulge the hope that a rcliase from the anxieties of his office may so far conduce to his restoration to health as to enable him , in his retirement .

to enjoy the quiet repose he has so well earned . They fervently hope that T . G . A . O . T . U . may grant him yet many years of peaceful life to enjoy the society of his brother Masons , with whom he has been so long associated , and who , one and all , entertain towards him the most sincere esteem and affection . "

Bro . Mclntyrc , G . R ., said : W . M ., I have vcry great pleasure indeed in seconding the resolution which has heen put before you by Bro . Fenn . It has been my lot to hold office in Grand Lodge for a . very great number of years , when I had for my colleague our late Grand Secietary , Bro . Gray Clarke , and all the time our Bro . Hervey has been the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of

England 1 have held the post 1 now occupy . And I must say that during the whole of that period a more zealous officer , a man more determined to do his duty—and no man more thoroughly understood his duty than Bro . Herveywas not to be found among the whole of theCraftof England . He was always wise in council , he was always rapid in action , always seeing what was right , and doing what

was right , and so he endeared himself to the rulers of the Craft , and especially he endeared himself to his brother officers who were brought into almost daily contact with him ; and certainly to this lodge , of which I have been a member for a great number of years , hc was endeared by the wonderfully good instruction he gave to every one of its members by his assiduity in his attendance upon tbe meetings of this lodge , and by the ability with which he

conducted everything entrusted to bis care . We all feeland those who saw him most feel it most—he is a great loss to friends , to Masonry , and to the Grand Lodge of England ; and in his retirement we do hope , and we do hope and fervently pray , tbat years may be spared to him to . enjoy that leisure to which his excellent services to Freemasonry so rightfully entitle him . ( Cheers . ) Bro . Murton said : It is with very great regret I put this resolution . I owe a deep debt of gratitude to Bto , Heivey .