United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

The Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge of England was held on Wednesday evening at Freemason ' s Hall , when there was a very large attendance of brethren , and a great array of Provincial Grand Masters and Past Grand officers . The M . W . G . Master , the Marquess of Hipon ,

presided , having Lord Balfour of Burleigh in the S . W . chair , and Captain Piatt in the J . W . Bro . Gibbs , Dist . G . Master of Bombay , acted as Deputy G . M . ; and Bro . Bagshaw , Prov . G . M ., Essex , as P . G M . Among the other notabilities in Freemasonry present we observed the

following brethren : —Bros . D . Hamilton , Earl of Shrewsbury , Sir Albert W . Woods , ( Garter ); Colonel Burdett ; F . Roxburgh , Q . C . ; JE . J . M'Intyre ; J . M . Clabon ; Rev . R . J . Simpson ; Rev . A . B . Fraser ; Rev . C . J . Martyn ; S . Rawson ; Dr . Hogg : J . B . Monckton ; T .

Fenn ; S . Tomkins ; H . J . P . Dumas ; Jas . Brett ; J Smith ; J . Boyd ; Brackstone Baker ; J . R . Stebbing ; E S . Snell ; T . Adams ; W . Ough ; J Coutts ; Raynham W . Stewart ; Wilhelm Ganz ; R . J . Spiers ; T . Bradford ; Hyde Pullen

Joshua Nunn ; John Savage ; F . Binckes , and Rev . Sir J . Warren Hayes , & c . Grand Lodge having been formally opened , Grand Secretary read the following letter from the President of the Board of General

Purposes : — " 42 , Sussex-gardens , March 4 th , 18 74 . " Dear Grand Secretary , —Will you express to Grand Lodge my regret at not being able to attend in my place to-morrow , and explain that it is due to serious and long-protracted illness .

V ours truly , " HORACE LLOYD , President of the Board of General Purposes . " I am sure , my Lord , said Grand Secretary , every member of Grand Lodge will hear that letter read with very great regret , ( tlaar , hear . )

Grand Secretary , by command of the M . W . G . M ., then read the regulations for the government of Grand Lodge , as is usual at the March Quarterly Communication ; and afterwards read the minutes of last Quarterly Communication , which were put and carried unanimously .

The next business was the election of the M . W . G . M . for the year , whereupon—Bro . Standish Grove Grady rose and said : M . W . G . M . and brethren , the Grand Secretary has just read to you the nomination of Grand Master which I had the honour of making at the

last Quarterly Communication of this Grand Lodge in December , and I now rise with feelings of very sincere pleasure and gratification to ask you to lay the keystone upon that nomination by re-electing the Most Hon . The Marquess of Ripon , Grand Master of our Order , for the

ensuing year . ( Appiause ) , When I had the honour of making the nomination it was with the unanimous approval of this Grand Lodge as I am confident it is of cveiy member of the Craft of whose wishes , feelings and sentiments , that approval will be the faithful echo . During

the period the Marquess of Ripon has done us the honour to fill the throne of our Order , the increase of its members , and the extent of its influence have been unprecedented in former years , and its succers has been marked by one continuous series of prosperity and unanimity .

It it were necessary in such an assembly as I have the honour of addressing to adduce proofs of that observation , they arc to be found in the facts in which I have formerly alluded as well as in the fidelity and loyalty of the Craft to its Sovereign , and in its adherence and devotion to

those grand principles on which our Order is founded . I cannot but regard the present and future prospects of the Craft and its unparelled prosperity with the utmost satisfaction ; and I cannot avoid associating with that prosperity the honoured and distinguished nobleman whom we have the good fortune and happiness to have to

preside over our Institution , of whose wisdom the whole country has had an opportunity of judging , whose mind is enriched by the highest culture , whose actions are guided by those Masonic principles upon which our Order is based , and who is the embodiment of those princi ples , of those precepts and of those prac-

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tices of our Order who serve him with the allegiance of loyal subjects . In re-electing the Most Hon . the Marquess of Ripon as Grand Master of our Order , we assure him in the most emphatic manner of the high estimation in which we regard his acceptance

of that office , the assiduous attention which he has devoted to the interests of the Craft , and the administration of our affairs amidst his other numerous engagements , the dignity and courtesy with which he treats every member of the Craft , and the firmness , ability , and impartiality with

which he has discharged the duties of his exalted station and office . Brethren , I ask you unanimously and with acclamation to re-elect the Most Hon . the Marquess of Ripon , Grand Master of our Order for the ensuing year . ( Great applause . )

Bro . Long seconded the motion , and was sure the proposition would be received with hearty unanimity . He also trusted that his Lordship would long continue to preside over Grand Lodge . The motion was put and carried

unanimously and his Lordship was saluted m due form by Grand Lodge . The M . W . G . M , who on rising was received with hearty cheers , said : Brethren , I beg now to return you my warmest thanks for the great honour which you have just been pleased again

to confer upon me . I hope that I need not tell you how highly I appreciate that honour conferred once more with complete unanimity by this great assembly of Masons as thoroughly and completely representing the Craft throughout the country . I assure you , all those of you

who are here present , and those whom you represent alike , of the deep sense of gratitude by which I am animated at this renewed proof of your confidence , and I am very happy to be able once more to congratulate you upon the prosperous condition of the Craft at the present

time . The Worshipful Brother who proposed my re-election in terms so much too kind and flattering , spoke of that great prosperity and of the truly Masonic Harmony which runs throughout the Craft in every part of the country . Brethren , that is true ; but it is not to me as

your Grand Master that that happy condition of things is due . I inherited that great heritage of prosperity and harmony from one who during the year that has passed away has been removed from amongst us , from one who had laid the foundation of that prosperity and

harmony by a quarter of a century of untiring labour and by continued action , with the one desire to promote the prosperity and harmony of the Craft by every means in his power . When you succeed to such an inheritance , and have to rule a great community in quiet and peaceful

times the task is easy . Little credit , therefore , on that score is due to me ; but it is indeed a proud thing to be called , to stand at the head of a body of men who , while in the midst of such great prosperity and with ever-increasing numbers , are able to boast—as boast we can in thes ;

days of Masonry—that there has not been during the past twelvemonth a single cloud for one moment to over-shadow the perfect brilliancy of our Masonic Harmony . ( Hear , hear . ) That is a thing of which we may justly be proud , because it shews that we have been acting in the

true spirit of this ancient Craft , and that we have been animated by those great principles which we ought ever to remember , and which , be it recollected , we ought to remember even more constantly and more unsparingly when we have

to meet not the trials—the purifying trials as they often are—of adversity , but when we have to meet the trials , which are no less great , which attend upon all communities in times of peculiar prosperity .

I trust that we shall always bear in mind the duties that that prosperity casts upon us , that we shall always recollect that the strength of the Order does not lie in the number of its lodges or in the increasing roll of its members ; but

that it lies 111 the spirit by which those members are animated , and which lives and breathes in those lodges . ( Hear , hear . ) It is because I hope that those principles are deep-written in the hearts of all that I do esteem it a great hon-

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our once more to be called to preside over you . ( Cheers . ) The next business on the paper , is the election of a Grand Treasurer . Bro . Pearce ( 33 ) : M . W . G . M . and Brethren , it is my great pleasure to have to propose to you

the re-election of our brother Samuel Tomkins as the Grand Treasurer for the ensuing year . I am perfectly prepared , brethren , to hear some indication of great approval when the name of that brother is mentioned . His great fitness and his ability to serve in that position , coupled

with , I may say , the large brotherly virtues that he possesses , must be a great recommendation to you all . If I were to go over those many virtues , I should only be travelling in the welltrodden path that many brethren have done before me ; and , therefore , I would only say that

I shall content myself—because I know it would be most consonant with the feelings of that brother I have mentioned that this proposition should be made in as modest a way as possible , but more modest than I think it reall y deserves —by proposing , Most Worshipful Grand Master ,

that our brother Samuel Tomkins be re-elected Grand Treasurer . ( Cheers . ) Bro . Grunning ( 4 ) : I beg most cordially to second the proposition . It is scarcely easy for us to give an adequate proof of our confidence

in him ; but a renewed expression of it is the best we can give . Carried unanimously . The M . W . G . M .. in informing Grand Treasurer of the brethrens' choice expressed his own hearty concurrence in the choice they had made .

Bro . S . Tomkins : M . W . G . M . and brethren , I assure you it is with very great pleasure that I receive this renewed testimony of your kind feelings of regard . It has been a very great pleasure and a great honour for me to fill the office of Grand Treasurer for so many years ; I may say the longer I hold it the more pleasure

I have m holding it . Especially it is a great honour to be connected with the Craft in such times , as our Grand Master has said , of preeminent prosperity . Long , brethren , and Worshipful Master , may that prosperity continue . I have nothing more to say , but I heartily thank you for your kindness in ro-electing me ( applause ) .

The Report of the Lodge of Benevolence for the last Quarter , in which are recommendations for the following grants , was then brought up . The widow of a brother of the Alexandra Lodge , No . 993 , Levenshuhne 7 , 50 .

A brother of the Royal Union Lodge , No . 3 82 , Uxbridge £ 50 . A brother of the Portsmouth Lodge , No . 4 8 7 , Portsmouth f , $° - Bro . J . M . Clabon , President of the Board of Benevolence , in bringing up the report , said :

before I proceed to move the recommendations to Grand Lodge , I would beg to remind Grand Lodge that the Board of Benevolence are spending much less than the income they have , that there is a considerable surplus accumulating every year ; but the time is coming , I hope ,

when that surplus will not be invested in dry consols , but will be spent in doing good . ( Bro . Clabon then moved , and Bro . Joshua Nunn , Senior Vice-President , seconded , the above three grants , which were carried unanimousl y ; in the third case , on the Motion of Bro . Clabon ,

seconded by Bro . John Savage , the money to be entrusted to Bro . Clabon to be given as required . ) Bro . John A . Rucker , Vice-President of the Board of General Purposes , brought up the following report : —

REPORT OK THE BOARD or GENERAL PURPOSES . To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England . The Board of General Purposes have to report that memorials or complaints having been

received from Br . Hemming and others , of the British Oak Lodge , No . 8 31 , Mile end , in which , amongst other things it was alleged and charged , a / 'know ' edged by the W . Master to be true , that . and on a regular Lodge night , the W . Master of his own motion called the Lodge off and left the room with his officers , remaining awav five haurs ;