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Article UNITED GRAND LODGE. ← Page 3 of 4 Article UNITED GRAND LODGE. Page 3 of 4 Article UNITED GRAND LODGE. Page 3 of 4 →
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United Grand Lodge.
a brother , ( say myself ) who never attends the Board of Benevolence regularly , ( as I am very much engaged in other duties I am unable to do so ) , suddenly appears at the Board for thc purpose of assisting and forwarding the interests of a particular case , that is coming before the Board . I will plead guilty of having done so once , and when I did , I did it because I felt strongly in regard to the
case . I attended , and did my best for that case , but I am not going to claim that thorough justice was not done to the funds of the Craft thereby . Still I think greater justice would be done if it were done by a number of brethren who constantly attend , and have the cases before them , ( cries o ! "No , no" ) , and that is what occurred to us who sat on thc Board of General Purposes as being in the
minds of Grand Lodge , when , it thought some alterations should be made in the constitution of Lodge of Benevolence . I am quite ready to admit that many brethren in the Craft who have filled the chair , will say that any alteration in the Constitution or Lodge of the Benevolence would disfranchise a great many of the Craft , ( hear , hear ) , Well , after all , M . W . G . M ., I will ask Grand Lodge , to bear
in mind that vve in the Craft are not individual ; we are one homogeneous whole ; we desire the good of the whole of the Craft ; and I do not think that brethren who cjnsider the matter a short time will say that any good can be done , if individuals and not the vvhele body are to be considered . I think tbat will weigh with the minds of Grancl Lodge . That weighed with us at the Board ,
when we thought the Board should be a permanent body for a year . There arc tw > amendments . Worshipful Sir , upon thc paper , and although of course the movers of those amendments would in their turn have to say what they have to say upon them , I am sure they would desire to save the time of Grand Lodge . I would say that the first amendment of Bro . Tebbs
appears to us at the Board somewhat unworkable , because ol its details . The second by Bro . Gould seems to be a good thing to do , if Grand lodge thinks it desirable that Provincial Grand Lodges should take an active part in representation on the Board . I may say for th ; rest , that when we put down here as the number , 52 , as a fit number to constitute the Board of Benevolence we in no
way bind Grand Lodge to 52 . Whether the number be 52 or 104 , 1 think matters not , the only thing we desire to enforce on Grand Lodge by the arrangement mentioned—and when I use the word " enforce" I do not meanitinaccompulsory sense , but only to impress upon Grand Lodge tbat the arrangement wonld such a one that the administration of the funds of the Craft should be the
best which we think it would be if the same brethren attended at the Board , meeting after meeting . Therefore I move the adoption of this report . I desire to conclude as I began , and to pray Grand Lodge to take the matter into full consideration , and to decide upon it absolutely according to the best of the brethren ' s judgment . Bro . H . C . Levander . —M . W . G . M ., I beg to second the
proposal of the President of the Board of General Purposes , who has so exhaustively put before you the whole su ' -ject , and said all that is to be said on it , that I think 1 shall best consult the wishes of Grand Lodge by not occupying any further time in speaking upon it . 1 beg to second the proposition . Bro . J . M . Clabon , President of the Lodge of
Benevolence . —M . W . G . M .. it is my absolute duty to Grand Lodge that I , having been President of the Lodge cf Benevolence since its alteration some eight or nine years ago , should tell Grand Lodge my humble feeling on the subject of these proposed alterations . I had the honour of being Chairman of the Committee which led to those alterations ten years ago , and
having acted on it since I hope I am able to give evidence on the subject . I propose to take no part in forcing any resolution on Grand Lodge , but simply to tell them to the best of my belief what I think . The consideration of the Board of General Purposes has hardly said anything upon the first of the recommendations of t ' le Committee , which is that the Lodge of Benevolence
he in future designed as the Board of Benevolence , and am not sure that he did not implicitly withdraw that , virtually , because when he inadvertently called it a Board he immediately corrected himself and called it a lodge , as it now is . Let me tell you that in old times , before the alterations of ten years ago , the constitutions called it , the Committee or Lodge of Benevolence , and in some
cases , the Board of Benevolence . The Committee over which I presided unanimously recommended that it should be in future called simply the Lodge of Benevolence , and in consequence of that the constitutions were altered throughout and that name substituted . Before that time the Board had never been opened or closed as a Lodge , but since that time that had most carefully been done .
We have not gone further than that ; we have simply tyled the Lodge ; and I hold and earnestly recommend that Grand Lodge should not alter that , because I think considering , as we do , the circumstances of unfortunate brethren , their widows and children , those matters ought to be discussed in a tyled Lodge , and not in an open Board . I have heard it said that we ought to have gone
further , and instead of merely opening and closing Lodge , and tyling it , ought at least to have had a prayer to the G . A . O . T . U . I heartily submit this to the Grand Master that if we open and close it as a Lodge , he should direct us whether we should not add a prayer to the G . A . O . T . U ., which , I for one , should be most happy to propose and to carry out . The President of the
Board of General Purposes has gone to the general question , and as he has alluded to what I said at the Grand Lodge of last June , I may say I remain of precisel y the same opinion as I expressed then . Our Lod ge of Benevolence is a very shifting body . There are some members appointed by the Grand Master or by the Grand Lodge—I forget which—most of whom are very regular in their attendance , and those members thoroughly
United Grand Lodge.
understand their duty , and help me , or my Bro . Nunn , or Bro . Brett , whichever may bc in the chair , in guiding our proceedings . But every Master , or some P . M . of every lodge in England is entitled to come ; and so we have a very general body ; and if the average attendance is , as I suppose it is , about fifty , perhaps those who attend with tolerable regularity is about ten , and the other forty or
thirty , or something like that , are those who come occasionally . Sometimes members attend once , whom we never see again . I can hardly think that justice can be done to our suffering brethren by a shifting body of that kind . I know the feeling that exists among Masons . Every lodge thinks it a privilege for its master to come ; and so it is ; and if they attended regularly it might be so !
only we should have too large a body , I ask the brethren to consider this—had vve not better have a small and wellselected body . ( Loud and numerous cries of " no , no . " ) Brethren , do for a moment consider whether you cannot give up your privilege in order to the business being done better . ( Renewed cries e » f " no , no . " ) The object is to relieve the distressed . I think that m ey be done better by a
smaller body than by a large one . ( Renewed cries of " no , no . " ) However , having expressed that opinion , I s-sy no more ; and therefore I humbly submit to Grand Lodge whether it is not expedient to make a change in our Cunstitution as to number , and leave us a lodge , as we are . My own belief is that we should do the business better if our body was a well selected and smaller body .
( Ciies of " no , no . " ) BroTJames M-ison ancl Bro . F . Binckes rase together , but there were deafening calls for Bro . Binckes . The M . W . G . M . called on Bro . Binckes . Bro . F . Binckes , P . G . S . —M . W . G . M . : As a tolerably c instant attendant at the Lodge of Benevolence I have to address a few observations to Grand Lodge on this very
important matter , and I shall commence those observations with a question . What argument can vve adduce to justify this sweeping measure of disfranchisement ? ( Loud cheers of "Hear , hear . " ) Who can give me one single solitary instance of a miscaniage of justice in the consideration of any application to this Lodge of Benevo lence ? And then when werefertoavery important regulation .
the canvassing for support for this or that case , it is strictly prohibited by the regulations of that lodge . I ask where or under what circumstances is canvassing more likely tp be encouraged ; whether where there is a constantly shifting board the members of which it is impossible to canvass , or where you have a small , selected , and uniform board ? The system of canvassing , however forbidden , may cr
may not be practised now ; but there is every facility given to canvass every member of the suggested Board , whose names will be known . I cannot for one single instant bring myself to believe that a Board , or lodge , whose work has been carried on so successfully hitherto , is at once to be ruthlessly altered on account of the feelings or the prejudices of some few brethren , whose cases may or
may not have been considered so favourably as they think they were entitled to be . I know I am speakingthe sentiments the majority of the members of the Craft in London , as well as in the provinces . I do not call on Grand Lodge to alter its disposition , but I call on Grand Lodge at once to give such an expression of feeling as to shew that that Board , composed of all the
lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England , shall not lay itself open to be charged either with dereliction of duty , or to be swayed by either favour or affection in considering the cases they are called upon to consider . I have said over and over again—sometimes I am quite prepared to admit with the President of the Board ot General Purposes , that I have attended for the
purpose of supporting a case I have wished to be successful , and with which I have been conversant . At other times I have had no such object , but I have seen a brother , or the widow or children of a brother , coming before the Board for relief , and I have been actuated by a sense of the functions of my office as Master or P . M ., and been there , and occasionally I have borne my testimony to the nature
of the case . If you are pleased to adopt such a recommendation as that on the paper , and to have this Board of Benevolence formed of an appointed or elected body of brethren , you will be simply carrying out what we have all condemned , in the administration of the alairs of our Masonic Institutions , the being governed by the principles of a Charity Organisation Society as to the exercise of our
opinions , votes , and suffrages . In the face of Ihis Grand Lodge I repudiate the idea that the Lodge of Benevolence is swayed by improper motives , and I say that it is less likely to be so in a shifting body than in a permanent body . I do hope that , in the sacred name of charity before alluded to , ihis Grand Lodge will give an unmistakeable expression of its opinion in favour of the Lodge of
Benevolence as now constituted . ( Loud and long continued cheers . ) Bro . James Mason , P . G . S . B . —M . W . G . M . and brethren : At my instance this proposition for the reorganisation of the Board of Benevolence was adjourned for six months . During the whole of that time I have given repeated consideration to the question ; and the more I have thought
of it , the more I am prepared to condemn the proposition submitted tojyou . For now , I believe , about a quarter of a century , I have had the honour and pleasure of attending at intervals the Board of Benevolence , and of all the Institutions that ever I entered , of all thc charitable societies with which I have been connected , there is none that has given me more pleasure . The Craft is thoroughly
represented there . Every lodge has a right to send it * representative . Every lodge has a right to send its Master for the year , and if the Master for the year be unable to attend , then he can depute the I . P . M . or another officer of the lodge to attend for him . What can be better ? In my opinion you can have nothing better . The brethren who attend are all Masons , and are desirous of doing their duty j and I for one , can say , the Board of General
United Grand Lodge.
Purposes has done what it considered its duty in submitting these propo-als to you . But although there are two classes of opinion ihere , those who are always for hoarding , and saving , and ac ; umu ! ating , there are others who think it their duty to provide those large funds for the purposes for which they were organised , feir decayed Freemasons , their widows and their chil Iren . Now we
have a very large fund , and if you adopt a select vestry , as it were , it" you have a select vestry , it may be canva ^ scl ; but now you have a constant flow and re-flow of members there , who cinnot he canvassed . If you have a select body , if you have a bod y whose names are known to all the Crafr , they can be eas'ly canvassed . A large mixed body cannot be so swayed . ( Cries of "Divide , divide" )
Brethren , let me submit to you one either ebscrvation . ( Renewed cries e . f " Divide " . ) If you have a select board ycu will find that you will have butl ' ttle voice-. (¦ ' Divide " anel " Agreed , " " Agreed . " ) Brethren , fueling that you are almost unanimous on this question , I will say no more , but sit down ; but I will move " The previous question "
Bn \ Ravnham W . Stewart , P . G . D .: —And I second it . Bro . J . M . Klenck , W . M . 1686 .- —M . W . G . M .: BJore this motion is pat I wish to give my experience as a W . M . during my year of office eif the B > a-cl of Biiievolenc _• . The Earl of Carnarvon : —lir . thren , the worthy brother is of course in his ruin t > address Grand L idge ; bat it is also , of course , for him to c msi Icr , when he se show the
feeling of Grancl Lo Ige is strom-ly expressed to go to the vote , whether he will prolong his observations beyond a certain paint . Bio . Klenck again attempted to speak , but was met with load calls of " Veite , vote . " The Earl of Carnarvon : —Br thr n , I think Grand Lodge must give the brother a hearing . I am sure he will
confine himself within the strictest possible limits of time ; but I think Grand Lodge is bound to give him a hraring . Bro . J . M . Klenck . —M . W . G . M .: I have attended the Lodge eif Benevolence three times during my year of office , and I will just enlighten the brethren as to the number of brethren who have attended during my three visits . The larjjcst number was fifty-one , exclusive of the Grand
Officers . Another attendance was about twenty-one , and the other was about thirty-one . I think wi'h the privileges the hundreds of members have of attending that Board of Benevolence , if it is reduced to forty , and we take the number of the attendants now as so small out of the hundreds who may attend , the number will be reduced to tens . From
this I dedu .-c an argument in favour of no ! : entertaining this proposal . The Earl eif Carnarvon . —Brethren , I now call on Bro . Tebbs , who has a motion on the paper on this subj-ct , to speak next . It will shorten our proceedings , I think , if he now addresses us .
Bro . the Rev . Wm . Tebbs . P . M . 285 . —M . W . G . M , I believe I should fail in my duty to this Grand Lodge , inasmuch as a motion stands in my name , if I did not utter two or three words upon it ; but I will not allow the proceedings to take up more of your time than I can help , inasmuch as I have very considerable reluctance in coming before Grand Lodge at all on a question of this kind . I
have only ventured to trespass on you as a member of a lodge in a distant province which I represent , and I hope the brethren will give me their kind attention and a moment ' s forbearance while I speak to the amendment that stands in my name . If , as one brother whose name unfortunately I do not know , has stated , the Board of General Purposes are prepared to give up calling the assembly
which dispenses charity by that name , which I think is rather an odious name in these days of Boards , and if they will stand by the old landmarks of cur order , and call it a Lodge , then the greater pa-t of that which I have to move this evening is accomplished . We know very well that the lodge stands in the same relation to its members as the household does to the family , and so far
the lodge is the means by which charity is dispensed , The charity of a lodge is gathered into a c ? rLiin focus , named the fund of Benevolence . The power of dispensing that is vested in the Lodge of Benevolence . That Lodge of Benevolence consists—( cries of "Question , " " Question" )—! hope the Board of General Purposes will allow the matter to stand as it does at present j but if it insists upon
an alteration then I would wish to go on with my amendment . ( Interruption . ) I have no wish to take up the time of Grand Lodge unduly , but I want merely to press my amendment if the Board of General Purposs insist on their proposal ; but I think we should not proceed with this if it is the wish of Grand Lodge to let matters remain as they are .
Bro . J . B . Monckton , President of the Board of General Purposes : —M . W . G . M ., one word in reply . I think thc whole matter may be settled and disposed of . Several brethren have said ' withdraw the report . " I reply to that that the Board of General Purposes cannot withdraw the report j but I think as suggested by Bro . Mason , that the carrying cf the previous question will not answer ,
because I see that the feeling of Grand Lo-lge is entirely adverse to the report . The moving that the question be not now put will answer the purpose . If the previous question is carried , then the matter will remain on the paper and must come before Grand Lodge at every subsequent meeting . I suggest , therefore , that Bro . Mason should withdraw his motion of the previous question , in order that the Grand Lodge may if it please —and I see that there is no
doubt it does so please—negative at once the report . I cannot , as President of the Board , who had the honour of being one of the advisers of Grand Lodge , fail to see that the feeling of Grand Lodge is to negative the report . Bro . James Mason : —I beg to adopt the suggestion that has been so gracefully made by the President of the Board of General Purposes to withdraw my motion and allow Ihese resolutions to be taken . The Earl of Carnarvon : —Brethren , the two questions
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
United Grand Lodge.
a brother , ( say myself ) who never attends the Board of Benevolence regularly , ( as I am very much engaged in other duties I am unable to do so ) , suddenly appears at the Board for thc purpose of assisting and forwarding the interests of a particular case , that is coming before the Board . I will plead guilty of having done so once , and when I did , I did it because I felt strongly in regard to the
case . I attended , and did my best for that case , but I am not going to claim that thorough justice was not done to the funds of the Craft thereby . Still I think greater justice would be done if it were done by a number of brethren who constantly attend , and have the cases before them , ( cries o ! "No , no" ) , and that is what occurred to us who sat on thc Board of General Purposes as being in the
minds of Grand Lodge , when , it thought some alterations should be made in the constitution of Lodge of Benevolence . I am quite ready to admit that many brethren in the Craft who have filled the chair , will say that any alteration in the Constitution or Lodge of the Benevolence would disfranchise a great many of the Craft , ( hear , hear ) , Well , after all , M . W . G . M ., I will ask Grand Lodge , to bear
in mind that vve in the Craft are not individual ; we are one homogeneous whole ; we desire the good of the whole of the Craft ; and I do not think that brethren who cjnsider the matter a short time will say that any good can be done , if individuals and not the vvhele body are to be considered . I think tbat will weigh with the minds of Grancl Lodge . That weighed with us at the Board ,
when we thought the Board should be a permanent body for a year . There arc tw > amendments . Worshipful Sir , upon thc paper , and although of course the movers of those amendments would in their turn have to say what they have to say upon them , I am sure they would desire to save the time of Grand Lodge . I would say that the first amendment of Bro . Tebbs
appears to us at the Board somewhat unworkable , because ol its details . The second by Bro . Gould seems to be a good thing to do , if Grand lodge thinks it desirable that Provincial Grand Lodges should take an active part in representation on the Board . I may say for th ; rest , that when we put down here as the number , 52 , as a fit number to constitute the Board of Benevolence we in no
way bind Grand Lodge to 52 . Whether the number be 52 or 104 , 1 think matters not , the only thing we desire to enforce on Grand Lodge by the arrangement mentioned—and when I use the word " enforce" I do not meanitinaccompulsory sense , but only to impress upon Grand Lodge tbat the arrangement wonld such a one that the administration of the funds of the Craft should be the
best which we think it would be if the same brethren attended at the Board , meeting after meeting . Therefore I move the adoption of this report . I desire to conclude as I began , and to pray Grand Lodge to take the matter into full consideration , and to decide upon it absolutely according to the best of the brethren ' s judgment . Bro . H . C . Levander . —M . W . G . M ., I beg to second the
proposal of the President of the Board of General Purposes , who has so exhaustively put before you the whole su ' -ject , and said all that is to be said on it , that I think 1 shall best consult the wishes of Grand Lodge by not occupying any further time in speaking upon it . 1 beg to second the proposition . Bro . J . M . Clabon , President of the Lodge of
Benevolence . —M . W . G . M .. it is my absolute duty to Grand Lodge that I , having been President of the Lodge cf Benevolence since its alteration some eight or nine years ago , should tell Grand Lodge my humble feeling on the subject of these proposed alterations . I had the honour of being Chairman of the Committee which led to those alterations ten years ago , and
having acted on it since I hope I am able to give evidence on the subject . I propose to take no part in forcing any resolution on Grand Lodge , but simply to tell them to the best of my belief what I think . The consideration of the Board of General Purposes has hardly said anything upon the first of the recommendations of t ' le Committee , which is that the Lodge of Benevolence
he in future designed as the Board of Benevolence , and am not sure that he did not implicitly withdraw that , virtually , because when he inadvertently called it a Board he immediately corrected himself and called it a lodge , as it now is . Let me tell you that in old times , before the alterations of ten years ago , the constitutions called it , the Committee or Lodge of Benevolence , and in some
cases , the Board of Benevolence . The Committee over which I presided unanimously recommended that it should be in future called simply the Lodge of Benevolence , and in consequence of that the constitutions were altered throughout and that name substituted . Before that time the Board had never been opened or closed as a Lodge , but since that time that had most carefully been done .
We have not gone further than that ; we have simply tyled the Lodge ; and I hold and earnestly recommend that Grand Lodge should not alter that , because I think considering , as we do , the circumstances of unfortunate brethren , their widows and children , those matters ought to be discussed in a tyled Lodge , and not in an open Board . I have heard it said that we ought to have gone
further , and instead of merely opening and closing Lodge , and tyling it , ought at least to have had a prayer to the G . A . O . T . U . I heartily submit this to the Grand Master that if we open and close it as a Lodge , he should direct us whether we should not add a prayer to the G . A . O . T . U ., which , I for one , should be most happy to propose and to carry out . The President of the
Board of General Purposes has gone to the general question , and as he has alluded to what I said at the Grand Lodge of last June , I may say I remain of precisel y the same opinion as I expressed then . Our Lod ge of Benevolence is a very shifting body . There are some members appointed by the Grand Master or by the Grand Lodge—I forget which—most of whom are very regular in their attendance , and those members thoroughly
United Grand Lodge.
understand their duty , and help me , or my Bro . Nunn , or Bro . Brett , whichever may bc in the chair , in guiding our proceedings . But every Master , or some P . M . of every lodge in England is entitled to come ; and so we have a very general body ; and if the average attendance is , as I suppose it is , about fifty , perhaps those who attend with tolerable regularity is about ten , and the other forty or
thirty , or something like that , are those who come occasionally . Sometimes members attend once , whom we never see again . I can hardly think that justice can be done to our suffering brethren by a shifting body of that kind . I know the feeling that exists among Masons . Every lodge thinks it a privilege for its master to come ; and so it is ; and if they attended regularly it might be so !
only we should have too large a body , I ask the brethren to consider this—had vve not better have a small and wellselected body . ( Loud and numerous cries of " no , no . " ) Brethren , do for a moment consider whether you cannot give up your privilege in order to the business being done better . ( Renewed cries e » f " no , no . " ) The object is to relieve the distressed . I think that m ey be done better by a
smaller body than by a large one . ( Renewed cries of " no , no . " ) However , having expressed that opinion , I s-sy no more ; and therefore I humbly submit to Grand Lodge whether it is not expedient to make a change in our Cunstitution as to number , and leave us a lodge , as we are . My own belief is that we should do the business better if our body was a well selected and smaller body .
( Ciies of " no , no . " ) BroTJames M-ison ancl Bro . F . Binckes rase together , but there were deafening calls for Bro . Binckes . The M . W . G . M . called on Bro . Binckes . Bro . F . Binckes , P . G . S . —M . W . G . M . : As a tolerably c instant attendant at the Lodge of Benevolence I have to address a few observations to Grand Lodge on this very
important matter , and I shall commence those observations with a question . What argument can vve adduce to justify this sweeping measure of disfranchisement ? ( Loud cheers of "Hear , hear . " ) Who can give me one single solitary instance of a miscaniage of justice in the consideration of any application to this Lodge of Benevo lence ? And then when werefertoavery important regulation .
the canvassing for support for this or that case , it is strictly prohibited by the regulations of that lodge . I ask where or under what circumstances is canvassing more likely tp be encouraged ; whether where there is a constantly shifting board the members of which it is impossible to canvass , or where you have a small , selected , and uniform board ? The system of canvassing , however forbidden , may cr
may not be practised now ; but there is every facility given to canvass every member of the suggested Board , whose names will be known . I cannot for one single instant bring myself to believe that a Board , or lodge , whose work has been carried on so successfully hitherto , is at once to be ruthlessly altered on account of the feelings or the prejudices of some few brethren , whose cases may or
may not have been considered so favourably as they think they were entitled to be . I know I am speakingthe sentiments the majority of the members of the Craft in London , as well as in the provinces . I do not call on Grand Lodge to alter its disposition , but I call on Grand Lodge at once to give such an expression of feeling as to shew that that Board , composed of all the
lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of England , shall not lay itself open to be charged either with dereliction of duty , or to be swayed by either favour or affection in considering the cases they are called upon to consider . I have said over and over again—sometimes I am quite prepared to admit with the President of the Board ot General Purposes , that I have attended for the
purpose of supporting a case I have wished to be successful , and with which I have been conversant . At other times I have had no such object , but I have seen a brother , or the widow or children of a brother , coming before the Board for relief , and I have been actuated by a sense of the functions of my office as Master or P . M ., and been there , and occasionally I have borne my testimony to the nature
of the case . If you are pleased to adopt such a recommendation as that on the paper , and to have this Board of Benevolence formed of an appointed or elected body of brethren , you will be simply carrying out what we have all condemned , in the administration of the alairs of our Masonic Institutions , the being governed by the principles of a Charity Organisation Society as to the exercise of our
opinions , votes , and suffrages . In the face of Ihis Grand Lodge I repudiate the idea that the Lodge of Benevolence is swayed by improper motives , and I say that it is less likely to be so in a shifting body than in a permanent body . I do hope that , in the sacred name of charity before alluded to , ihis Grand Lodge will give an unmistakeable expression of its opinion in favour of the Lodge of
Benevolence as now constituted . ( Loud and long continued cheers . ) Bro . James Mason , P . G . S . B . —M . W . G . M . and brethren : At my instance this proposition for the reorganisation of the Board of Benevolence was adjourned for six months . During the whole of that time I have given repeated consideration to the question ; and the more I have thought
of it , the more I am prepared to condemn the proposition submitted tojyou . For now , I believe , about a quarter of a century , I have had the honour and pleasure of attending at intervals the Board of Benevolence , and of all the Institutions that ever I entered , of all thc charitable societies with which I have been connected , there is none that has given me more pleasure . The Craft is thoroughly
represented there . Every lodge has a right to send it * representative . Every lodge has a right to send its Master for the year , and if the Master for the year be unable to attend , then he can depute the I . P . M . or another officer of the lodge to attend for him . What can be better ? In my opinion you can have nothing better . The brethren who attend are all Masons , and are desirous of doing their duty j and I for one , can say , the Board of General
United Grand Lodge.
Purposes has done what it considered its duty in submitting these propo-als to you . But although there are two classes of opinion ihere , those who are always for hoarding , and saving , and ac ; umu ! ating , there are others who think it their duty to provide those large funds for the purposes for which they were organised , feir decayed Freemasons , their widows and their chil Iren . Now we
have a very large fund , and if you adopt a select vestry , as it were , it" you have a select vestry , it may be canva ^ scl ; but now you have a constant flow and re-flow of members there , who cinnot he canvassed . If you have a select body , if you have a bod y whose names are known to all the Crafr , they can be eas'ly canvassed . A large mixed body cannot be so swayed . ( Cries of "Divide , divide" )
Brethren , let me submit to you one either ebscrvation . ( Renewed cries e . f " Divide " . ) If you have a select board ycu will find that you will have butl ' ttle voice-. (¦ ' Divide " anel " Agreed , " " Agreed . " ) Brethren , fueling that you are almost unanimous on this question , I will say no more , but sit down ; but I will move " The previous question "
Bn \ Ravnham W . Stewart , P . G . D .: —And I second it . Bro . J . M . Klenck , W . M . 1686 .- —M . W . G . M .: BJore this motion is pat I wish to give my experience as a W . M . during my year of office eif the B > a-cl of Biiievolenc _• . The Earl of Carnarvon : —lir . thren , the worthy brother is of course in his ruin t > address Grand L idge ; bat it is also , of course , for him to c msi Icr , when he se show the
feeling of Grancl Lo Ige is strom-ly expressed to go to the vote , whether he will prolong his observations beyond a certain paint . Bio . Klenck again attempted to speak , but was met with load calls of " Veite , vote . " The Earl of Carnarvon : —Br thr n , I think Grand Lodge must give the brother a hearing . I am sure he will
confine himself within the strictest possible limits of time ; but I think Grand Lodge is bound to give him a hraring . Bro . J . M . Klenck . —M . W . G . M .: I have attended the Lodge eif Benevolence three times during my year of office , and I will just enlighten the brethren as to the number of brethren who have attended during my three visits . The larjjcst number was fifty-one , exclusive of the Grand
Officers . Another attendance was about twenty-one , and the other was about thirty-one . I think wi'h the privileges the hundreds of members have of attending that Board of Benevolence , if it is reduced to forty , and we take the number of the attendants now as so small out of the hundreds who may attend , the number will be reduced to tens . From
this I dedu .-c an argument in favour of no ! : entertaining this proposal . The Earl eif Carnarvon . —Brethren , I now call on Bro . Tebbs , who has a motion on the paper on this subj-ct , to speak next . It will shorten our proceedings , I think , if he now addresses us .
Bro . the Rev . Wm . Tebbs . P . M . 285 . —M . W . G . M , I believe I should fail in my duty to this Grand Lodge , inasmuch as a motion stands in my name , if I did not utter two or three words upon it ; but I will not allow the proceedings to take up more of your time than I can help , inasmuch as I have very considerable reluctance in coming before Grand Lodge at all on a question of this kind . I
have only ventured to trespass on you as a member of a lodge in a distant province which I represent , and I hope the brethren will give me their kind attention and a moment ' s forbearance while I speak to the amendment that stands in my name . If , as one brother whose name unfortunately I do not know , has stated , the Board of General Purposes are prepared to give up calling the assembly
which dispenses charity by that name , which I think is rather an odious name in these days of Boards , and if they will stand by the old landmarks of cur order , and call it a Lodge , then the greater pa-t of that which I have to move this evening is accomplished . We know very well that the lodge stands in the same relation to its members as the household does to the family , and so far
the lodge is the means by which charity is dispensed , The charity of a lodge is gathered into a c ? rLiin focus , named the fund of Benevolence . The power of dispensing that is vested in the Lodge of Benevolence . That Lodge of Benevolence consists—( cries of "Question , " " Question" )—! hope the Board of General Purposes will allow the matter to stand as it does at present j but if it insists upon
an alteration then I would wish to go on with my amendment . ( Interruption . ) I have no wish to take up the time of Grand Lodge unduly , but I want merely to press my amendment if the Board of General Purposs insist on their proposal ; but I think we should not proceed with this if it is the wish of Grand Lodge to let matters remain as they are .
Bro . J . B . Monckton , President of the Board of General Purposes : —M . W . G . M ., one word in reply . I think thc whole matter may be settled and disposed of . Several brethren have said ' withdraw the report . " I reply to that that the Board of General Purposes cannot withdraw the report j but I think as suggested by Bro . Mason , that the carrying cf the previous question will not answer ,
because I see that the feeling of Grand Lo-lge is entirely adverse to the report . The moving that the question be not now put will answer the purpose . If the previous question is carried , then the matter will remain on the paper and must come before Grand Lodge at every subsequent meeting . I suggest , therefore , that Bro . Mason should withdraw his motion of the previous question , in order that the Grand Lodge may if it please —and I see that there is no
doubt it does so please—negative at once the report . I cannot , as President of the Board , who had the honour of being one of the advisers of Grand Lodge , fail to see that the feeling of Grand Lodge is to negative the report . Bro . James Mason : —I beg to adopt the suggestion that has been so gracefully made by the President of the Board of General Purposes to withdraw my motion and allow Ihese resolutions to be taken . The Earl of Carnarvon : —Brethren , the two questions