Grand Mark Lodge.

BENEVOLENT BRANCH . Balance 31 st March , 1 S 89 ... ... ... ... ... 125 1 2 April . To Dividends ... ... ... ... £ 16 1 9 J une . „ „ ... ... ... 4 7 9 July . „ „ ... ... -. ... 23 5 6 " Sept . „ „ ... ... ... 2 3 S 45 18 8

EDUCATIONAL BRANCH . Balance 31 st March , 1 SS 9 ... ... ... ... ... 152 17 9 April . To Dividends ... ... ... ... £ 22 iS 1 June . „ „ ... ... ... ... 10 4 9 July . „ „ ... ... ... ... 942 Sept . „ „ ... ... ... ... 480- 46 15 o

ANNUITY BRANCH . Balance 31 st March , 18 S 9 ... ... ... ... ... 192 6 6 April . To Dividends ... ... ... ... £ 10 19 6 T une . „ „ ... ' ... ... ... 13 3 3 July . „ „ ... ... ... ... 33 7 9 57 10 6

BENEVOLENT ^ B RANCH . £ 1945 5 1 May . By Grants in Relief ... ... ... ... £ 30 10 o June . „ „ „ ... ... ... ... 60 o 0 July . „ „ „ ... ... ... ... 10 o o Aug . „ _ „ „ ... ... ... ... 20 o 0 120 IO o

EDUCATIONAL BRANCH . April . By School Fees ... ... ... ... £ 1 19 7 May . „ „ „ ... ... ... ... 54 7 S June . „ „ „ ... ... ... ... 26 5 o July . „ „ „ ... ... ... ... 23 9 7 Sept . „ „ „ ... ... ... ... 47 5 S 153 8 2 Spencer and Co . for Medals ... ... ... ... 300

ANNUITY BRANCH . April . By Annuities ... ... ... ... £ 32 10 o July . „ „ ... ... ... ... 32 10 o 65 o o

BALANCES . Festival Account ... ... ... ... £ 1324 15 G Benevolent Branch ... ... ... ... 50 9 10 Educational „ ... ... ... ... 43 4 7 Annuity „ ... ... ... " ... 1 S 4 17 o

Total Balance as per Bank Book ... ... ... ... 1603 6 11 £ i 945 5 1 Audited and approved by the Finance Committee this 7 th day of November , 1 S 89 . ( Signed ) ROBERT BERRIDGE , J AMES MOON , ALFRED WILLIAMS .

Bro . the Earl of EUSTON , as President of the General Board , in moving that the report be received and entered on the minutes , said there vvere several matters mentioned in the report which vvould have to be considered . The last recommendation , to give a sum of £ 20 to the widow of a brother of Lodge No . 82 , Madras , brought to the brethren ' s notice the fact that that vvas the first time there

had been an application for assistance from India or the Colonies . The General Board , after considering the case fully , thought it a most deserving case , and £ 20 was not very much to give . Besides , a gift like that would help materially to cement the union of Mark Masons beyond the seas with the brethren at home . Bro . BERRIDGE , G . D . C , seconded the motion , which vvas put and carried .

Bro . the Earl of EUSTON next moved " That this Grand Lodge do recognise the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons of New South Wales , and that the lodges formerly under this jurisdiction be permitted to retain their ori ginal warrants . " Bro . BERRIDGE seconded the motion , which was put and carried .

Bro . the Earl of EUSTON then moved " That the sum of ten guineas be voted to a memorial of the late Bro . Rev . Canon Portal , M . A ., Past Grand Master , which is being erected in the Parish of Burghclere . " He said he was sure that that was a vote no Mark Mason vvould oppose knowing as they all did the

great services Bro . Canon Portal rendered to the Mark Degree . Everyone would have the greatest pleasure in supporting the vote , not only for the respect they had for Bro . Canon Portal , but from their knowledge of his vast exertions in the cause of Mark Masonry . Bro . BERRIDGE seconded the motion .

Bro . J . S . CUMBERLAND said that the sum appeared to be very small , he wished to know what the memorial vvas . If it was for schools he should be happy to support a larger amount . He thought that , vvhen a brother had done such enormous good for Mark Masonry and the Mark Grand Lodge , the amount vvas very small .

Bro . MATIER , G . S ., said the memorial was in the shape of a coffee tavern , in Burghclere . He believed that those who had got up the memorial had obtained more money now than they wanted . It vvas recommended by the General Board that this sum should be voted , because Grand Mark Lodge wished to share in contributing to the memorial . Bro . CUMBERLAND thought the amount ought to be larger .

The Earl of EUSTON said £ 1000 vvas required , and £ 850 was already in hand , and the General Board simply proposed that the sum of 10 guineas be given to it . If it was the wish of Grand Lodge that more should be given , the Board would not for a moment stand in the way ; but at the same time the name of Grand

Mark Lodge was in connection with it by the gift of 10 guineas . The memorial not standing in need of funds , he did not see why they should give more when there were so many urgent cases coming before the Board for assistance . More money was not absolutely needed for that memorial , and the Board took that into consideration

Bro . CUMBERLAND thought it was a pity that money should be given to a fund which did not need it . Had he known of the proposition he should have moved a gift to some Masonic object instead of to a coffee tavern . Another BROTHER agreed with Bro . Cumberland . No man had done more for Mark Masonry than Canon Portal . A BROTHER suggested a general subscription to a memorial to Canon Portal .

lhe Earl of EUSTON having asked whether Bro . Cumberland persisted in his motion to give more , Bro . CUMBELAND said he withdrew his motion altogether , but he hoped the Board would take into consideration the question of making some recommendation to Grand Lodge for commemorating the memory of one who had done so much for the Mark Degree . He vvas quite certain that whatever recommendation mi ght be made b y the General Board it would be accepted .

Bro . the Marquess of HERTFORD pointed out that a motion for increasing the amount could not be made ; an amendment for reducing the amount could be taken . They were ready to support anything that was worth y ; but when it was shown that a large sum was not wanted , and there were so many claims on the funds they might find some outlet for their benevolence . He hoped , however , that something might be done at next meeting for another memorial to Canon Portal .

Bro . the Earl of EUSTON said anything that was done in the shape of a memorial to Bro . Canon Portal from Grand Lodge should come on by motion before Grand Lodge . The General Board made a recommendation merely . If any one

Grand Mark Lodge.

wished to subscribe individually to the memorial such a proposition should come from a member of Grand Lodge , and not from the General Board . If the brethren thought that some memorial should be put up in the new hall , the General Board would work with them and be only too happy to do so . The motion was put and carried . The other recommendations were agreed to , and the report vvas adopted . Bro . Capt . AIREY : M . W . G . M . in the chair , it has been confided to me as a great

secret that one of the most important and pleasant duties is entrusted to me to perform this evening , that is to nominate our present Most Worshipful Grand Master as our M . W . G . M . for the ensuing year . As a young memberof the Order it would ill become me to say anything in praise of his Royal Hig hness the Prince of Wales , but if you vvould concede it to me as a great honour and privilege I should like to nominate his Royal Hig hness the Prince of Wales as M . W . G . M . for the ensuing year .

Bro . H . FAIJA , G . Treas ., nominated Bro . W . C . Gilles as Grand Treasurer . Bro . Gilles had been for 20 years a Mark Mason , and was installed as Master of the St . Andrew ' s Lodge in 18 7 6 , and he had served several Stewardships . Bro . C . W . LAWRENCE nominated Bro . George Gardner , who vvas initiated in the Domatic Lodge , No . 177 was founder and P . M . and Secretary of the Chiswick

Lodge , No . 2012 ; a founder and the W . M . of the George Gardner Lodge , No . 2309 ; M . E . Z . of Kennington Chapter , No . 1381 ; advanced to the Mark Degree in the Thistle Lodge , No . 8 , of which he is I . G . ; founder , P . M ., and Treasurer of the Chiswick Mark Lodge , No . 357 ; Past Provincial G . D . C . Middlesex and Surrey ; founder and Treasurer of the Chiswick Lodge of Instruction ; had served upwards of 12 Stewardships to the different Institutions , and is Vice-President of them .

It was announced that the Charity jewels and bars would be sent by post to the different Stewards in order that time might be saved at this meeting . Bro . W . G . LEMON , S . O ., moved that the General Board be requested to consider and report to next Grand Lodge as to a memorial to Bro . Canon Portal . Bro . J . S . CUMBERLAND seconded .

Bro . the Earl of EUSTON said it would give the Board great pleasure to have this recommendation committed to them . Since their last meeting in Grand Lodge they had lost one of the oldest supporters of the Order , Bro . Frederic Davison , P . G . Treasurer . He was a loss to the Board as well as to the Order and to the Craft in general . The General Board wished to express in Grand Lodge their regret at his decease .

Bro . L . G . GORDON ROBBINS moved that Grand Secretary communicate the feelings of sympathy of this Grand Lodge with the friends of Bro . F . Davison . The motion was seconded , put , and carried , and Grand Lodge was closed . After the business of Grand Lodge the brethren adjourned to the Duke ' s Room , where , under the presidency of Bro . Baron de Ferrieres , an excellent banquet was partaken of , and the usual toasts followed , the President proposing " The Queen and Mark Masonry" and " The M . W . Grand Master" in the briefest terms .

Bro . Baron DE FERRIERES in proposing "The Pro Grand Master , the Deput y Grand Master , and the rest of the Grand Officers , Present and Past , " said they were . all very sorry to hear that Bro . Lord Egerton of Tatton was unwell , but they hoped it was onl y a passing cold which had prevented his being present . But Bro . the Marquis of Hertford had attended , and the brethren must congratulate themselves that he was always ready to perform his duties . Some of the Grand Officers he thought might take a lesson from him very profitably .

Bro . Sir LIONEL DARELL responded . The Officers of Grand Lodge were always ready to do their duty in every possible way . They must be very much gratified at the present time to see how Mark Masonry was on the increase . He must for a moment refer to the pleasure it gave him to preside at the last festival of the Mark Benevolent Fund , and to know that the sum then realised , notwithstanding the

strain there had been on Masonic charitable resources by the Centenary Festival of the Girls' School the year previously , vvas only second on the list . But his pleasure was enhanced b y knowing that Lord Euston vvould preside at the next festival of the fund . From the moment his lordship joined Masonry , his heart and soul had been in it , and he had spared no time or trouble , pains or expense , to do thoroughl y . well all he had to do in Masonry .

Bro . the Earl of EUSTON proposed " The Health of Baron de Ferriers , the president of the evening , " whose name was a name sans pear et sans reproche . Baron de Ferriers had done his duty in every position in life he had held , and they all honored him when he came among them , as at other times . Bro . Baron DE FERRIERES in replying , said the brethren always looked with a

kindly eye on what he did . One of the advantages of being a Freemason vvas that brethren had an opportunity of meeting kind and good brethren who appreciated everything they did , and that opportunity would not be afforded them if they were not Masons . The more they saw of one another , the more they could differ from the cynics , and say there vvas something good in human nature .

Bro . SPRATLING replied to the toast of "The Visitors , " and said he vvas always ready to do anything he could for Masonry . He was , however , no visitor . He vvas the senior officer ot the oldest lodge , the Bon Accord , of which he hoped some day to be the Master . Bro . the Earl of EUSTON proposed "The Mark Benevolent Fund . " It was a

very great credit to any Society to keep a Charity going . He thought a sum of money should be put by , year by year , for Charity . He approved of the large amount of money being spent on the Mark Masons' Hall . 1 hey were entering on a new home , where they hoped to succeed in every way , and he called on all the brethren in the Mark Degree to come there and help them .

Bro . MATIER replied , and said his speech vvas in a large measure discounted because his audience was composed of brethren who had been or vvould be Stewards , and he thanked those who had been Stewards for what they had clone . He did not see a brother round the table whose sympathies were not with the Benevolent Fund , or who did not support the General Board on every occasion . The General Board faithfully zealously , and impartially performed their duties

and apportioned the money which had been so liberall y subscribed . So long as it was liberally subscribed the General Board would make it their proud boast that no worthy candidate for their bounty would appeal to it in vain . There were 32 children now receiving the benefits of the fund in their education and a gift of £ 5 at Christmas for clothing to enable them to go decent to schools near their own homes . There were no established charges and no bricks and mortar under the

jurisdiction of the Order . There were now five old men receiving £ 26 a year and a Christmas box of £ 5 . They had given £ 20 that day to a widow at Madras , and £ 20 was given to the education of her onl y daughter . For next festival there vvere already 90 Stewards , and some 14 ladies among them . Lady Jersey , Lad y Valentia , Lady Darell , Mrs . Cook , Mrs . Berridge , and Mrs . Driver vvere among the ladies who vvere supporting their husbands , and the festival would take place on the 23 rd of July .

Bros . BERRIDGE and DRIVER , the joint architects of the new Mark Masons ' Hall , responded to a toast speciall y proposed in their honour , and Bro . Driver gave a description of what had been done . Lodge rooms vvould be provided on the ground floor which vvould accommodate all the Degrees . Six lodges meeting on the same evening would find accommodation , and the Mark Degree would find a very suitable home there . There would be a panel for the Grand Master , and

for every Grand Master who had passed the chair , and for every member of the General Board who would present his portrait . Joking apart , he thought a panel for the portrait of Canon Portal would be a grand idea and a graceful memorial . Bro . Driver said he and Bro . Berridge had done their very best with a view to save the pockets of the brethren and to serve the brethren's interests , both in regard to beauty and decoration . The proceedings then closed .