Grand Mark Lodge.

GRAND MARK LODGE .

The Half-yearly Communication of Grand Lodge of Mark Masters of England and Wales and the Colonies and Dependencies of the British Crown was held on Tuesday evening , at Freemasons' Tavern . The Earl of Limerick , G . M ., presiced , Gen . Brownrigg being in the S . W . chair , and Bro . W . E . Gumbleton in the J . W . chair .

The other brethren present were V . W . Bros . Thos . Meggy G . M . O . ; W . S . Webster , G . S . O . ; Magnus Ohren , G . J . O . ; Rev . J . S . Brownrigg , G . Chap . ; Frederick Davison , G . Treas . ; H . C . Levander , G . Reg . -, Frederick Binckes , P . G . J . W ., G . Sec . W . Bros . J . E . Curteis , G . J . D . ; R . W . Edis , F . S . A ., G . S . of W . ; T . J . Sabine , P . G . A . D . C , as G . D . C ; S . Rosenthal , P . G . D . C , as G . A . D C ; Thomas

Poore , as G . Swd . Br . ; J . H . Spencer , G . I . G ., as G . Std . Br . ; H . W . Binckes , G . Asst . Sec . ; C T . Speight , G . Tyler ; I . C . Mason and C . Pulman , G . Stewards ; with M . W . . Bro . the Rev . G . R . Porul , P . G . M . M . M . ; R . W . Bros . J . M . Cunningham M . D ., Prov . G . M . Sussex ; Sir Fredk . M . Williams , Bart ., Prov . G . M . Cornwall ; John Wordsworth , D . Prov . G . M . West Yorkshire ; W .

Hickman , D . P . G . M . Hampshire ; C . F . Matier , P . G . S . W ; . Rev . "Wm . Mortimer Heath , P . G . Chap . ; T . F . Ravenshaw , P . G . Chap . ; V . W . Bros . Magnus Ohren , Thos . Meggy , R . W . Little , P . G . M . Overseers ; S . C Dibdin , P . G . J . O . ; W . Bros . George Lambert , P . G . S . D . ; E . T . Payne , P . G . Supt . of Works ; S . Rosenthal , P . G . D . C . ; Thos . Cubitt , P . G . D . C ; T . J . Sabine , P . G . A . D . C ; T . S Mortlock ,

P . G . Swd . Br . ; R . G . Glover , Henry Massey ( Freemason ) , George Yaxley , Israel Abrahams , P . G . Stewards ; and the following Provincial Grand Officers : —W . Bros . G . Toller , jun ., P . Prov . G . S . W . ; W . Watkins , Prov . G . Sec . Monmouthshire ; J . K . Pitt , Prov . G . A . D . C ; W . Taylor , Prov . G , Std . Br . ; and a large number of Masters , Past Masters , Wardens , Overseers , and brethren of private lodges .

Bro . Binckes , Grand Secretary , having read the minutes of last half-yearly communication , the same were put and confirmed . The next business being- the receipt of the report of the General Board , it was taken as read , on the motion of Bro . C . F . Matier , seconded by Bro . Thos . Mortlock . The following is the report of the General Board : — The General Board have the gratification of being able

to announce the continued prosperity of the Mark Degree , which is shown by the fact that during the six months ending 31 st March , 1877 , the number of certificates issued from the Grand Secretary ' s office was 522 . During the same time , warrants for new lodges were issued as follows : — No . 19 6 " Earl of Chester , " Chester . ,, 197 " Studholme , " London . „ 198 " Croydon , " Croydon .

„ 199 " Duke of Connaught , " Dalston . ,, 200 " Lazar , " Hokitika . „ 201 " Wahab , " Bengal . „ 202 " St . Mark ' s in the South , " Tasmania . On the eth April , 18 77 , Bro . the Rev . G . R . Portal , M . W . P . G . M . M . M ., assisted by several of the Grand

Officers Present and Past , constituted at Newport , Mon ., a new Mark Province of Monmouthshire , and installed as the first R . W . Prov . G . M . M . M ., Bro . Lorenzo Augustus Homfray . From the high respect and esteem in which this distinguished brother is held by every member of his Masonic province , the best and most happy results may confidently be anticipated .

Thc Board are happy to report the revival of the old time immemorial Mark Lodge , " The Lebanon , " meeting at Liverpool , which has accepted a warrant of confi rmation from the M . W . G . M . M . M . The Board recommend to Grand Lodge for favourable consideration grants from the Benevolent Fund of £ 20 to Mrs . P ., wife of Bro . J . P ., a lunatic in Bethlehem

Hospital , £ 2 $ to Bro . E . B ., £ 20 to Mrs . W . With a view to facilitate the recognition of the services of brethren of worth and merit , the Board have to ask the Grand Lodge to give the M . W . G . M . M . M . power to increase the number of Grand Deacons from Two to Four . The proceedings of the Grand Commandery and the

Grand Royal Arch Chapter of Massachusetts have been received . The question having arisen , whether it was within the prerogative of the M . W . G . M . M . to confer the rank of Past Master upon brethren who had not served their full year in the chair of a lodge , without the consent of the Grand Lodge , and the G . M . M . having been pleased to refer the

matter to the General Board for their opinion and advice , the Board have unanimously advised the M . W . G . M . M . that , inasmuch as the rank of Past Master confers a seat in Grand Lodge , it is not within his prerogative to create Past Masters without the consent of Grand Lodge . The Board recommends that the Audit of Grand Lodge Accounts shall take place monthly , and that the

Auditor ' s fee be increased to £ 25 . The accounts of Grand Lodge , as audited by the official Auditor ? , are subjoined . ( Signed ) G . R . PORTAL , Past G . M . M ., May 16 th , 1877 . President . Bro . Portal , P . G . M ., moved the adoption of the recommendation to increase thc number of Deacons from two to

four . He said that there had been a great increase ir ; the Order , and thc applicants for office had also greatly increased in number . They were brethren who deserved office by Ihe great zeal they had shown in promoting thc interests of the Order , and he thought that Grand Lodge could not do better than adopt the course taken in Craft

Grand Lodge , and have four Deacons . Bro . Sir F . Williams seconded the motion , which was then put and carried . Bro . Portal then moved the adoption of the recommendation " That the audit of Grand Lodge accounts shall take place monthly , and that the Auditor ' s fee be increased to

Grand Mark Lodge.

£ 23 . He said that the same reason that he had given for the former motion applied to this . The monetary transactions of Grand Lodge had so much increased , that the reason which induced Grand Lodge some years ago to order a quarterlyaudit now necessitated their having the accounts audited monthly . In the Secretary ' s office there was a great deal of correspondence carried on , and it was

impossible for the Grand Secretary to be also Grand Accountant . It was very important , with a view to the accuracy of the finance accounts , that some one should be professionally employed to see what money was due from lodges , and whether it came in regularly or not to the Treasurer . By the Auditor proper directions would be given for the application for money due to Grand Lodge ,

and for this purpose it would be better that the Grand Lodge accounts should be kept by Bro . Meggy . It would relieve Grand Secretary of trouble which he ought not to have to take upon himself , and a great deal of difficulty would be thereby saved . Bro . Matier seconded the motion , which was put and carried .

The recommendations for making the three grants advised in the report were also moved by'Bro . Portal and Ciriied . Bro . Portal then moved , and Bro . General Brownrigg seconded , that the report be adopted and entered on the minutes . Grand Secretary , in reading the minutes of last Grand

Lodge , mentioned that a letter had been written by a brother to that Grand Lodge which was remitted to the Board for consideration . The Board had come to the conclusion that when that brother in his letters conformed to the Constitution , and wrote in a becoming manner , they would take anything into consideration which he wrote about . They had not yet received a letter from him

couched m proper terms , and , consequently , had not considered it . He mentioned this to show that the matter had not been lost sight of . The M . W . G . M . then said that before he put the motion for the adoption of the report he wished to make a remark on the last paragraph but one , that referring to the rank of P . M . More than one application had been made to

him to grant either a dispensation to brethren who had not held the office of P . M ., or were not qualified by holding the office for one year , or to create by patent a Past Mastership for long service or for services to the Order , or for the long time they had been in it . As it appeared to him very doubtful to what extent the prerogative of Grand Master went in this respect , he thought it well to refer

the matter to tbe General Board . Their report was before the brethren , and in that report he entirely agreed . He thought that it was important and right that Grand Lodge should consent to grant past rank to any brother who was not qualified . There were two questions in regard to this , however , which stood on a different footing . There was the case of a brother who , being Master of his lodge ,

had not served his full time . Such a case might well be considered . Some brother might have done his duty to a lodge and not have served his time , or he might have been put into ofSce tor only a short time . That was a case in which the Grand Master might consider the request , and ask Grand Lodge's sanction for conferring the rank of P . M ., although the full time had not been served . But

there was also the case of a brother who , from change of place or some other good reason , not having been put in the inferior offices , had not been placed in the chair at all . He was inclined to think that that was hardly a case in which the Grand Lodge , as a rule , would be inclined to recommend that the rank of P . M . should be conferred . He did not think the rank of P . M . should be

conferred on any brother who had not been in thc chair of a lodge for at least a portion of the time required . They should not give virtual past rank to a brother who had not been in the position of Master of some lodge . That was a very different case to that of the brother who had been in the chair , but for some circumstances which arose from no fault of his own , by removal or otherwise , had not occupied the chair for the full term . During his ( the

Grand Master ' s ) year of office , if a case of this kind came before him , he did not think he should fail to recommend to Grand Lodge to confer the rank of Past Master on any one who had in that way not filled the chair of a lodge for a twelvemonth . Those were the principles which he should think it his duty to follow . The report was then put to Grand Lodge and carried . Bro . F . Davison , Grand Treasurer , next read his accounts as follows : —

General Fund . Balance from 30 th September , 1876 ... £ 130 7 4 Half-year ' s receipts ... ... ... 491 11 10 621 19 2 Half-year ' s disbursements ... ... 416 2 4 Balance in favour of Grand Lodge £ 205 16 10

Fund of Benevolence . Balancfi 30 th September , 187 G £ 129 4 4 Receipts for half-year ... 19 13 o Dividends ... ... 14 16 4 34 9 4

163 i . S 8 Grants ... ... ... ... 200 Balance in favour of Grand Lodge £ 161 13 8 Examined and found correct , ioth May , 1877 . THOMAS MEGGV , Auditor . On the motion of Bro . Edis , seconded by Bro . Sabine , this account was ordered to be received and entered on the minutes . The Earl of Limerick was then installed as Grand

Grand Mark Lodge.

Master for the year , and proclaimed and saluted accordingly The M . W . G . M . then said -. Brethren , by your favour j now enter on the third year of my office , the closing period of time for which it is the custom of Grand Lod ge to appoint the same Grand Master . When I was first elected to the chair of Grand Lodge , I expressed a hope that at the time of finally leaving office I should not leav »

the Order m a worse state than that in which I received it from those distinguished brethren who preceded me . r could not ever hope to do more than continue the good work which had been begun under them . "We are noiy as I said before , entering on the third year of my office ' and I think I may express and entertain the hope that what I then gave utterance to may be fulfilled . I have

during the last year seen five new provinces formed fourteen new lodges either consecrated or sanctioned , and a continued steady increase in the number of brethren of our Order . I trust that this steady increase , which has been the marked characteristic of this degree , may be still kept up , and that my hope may be fulfilled that I may hand over my office to my successor next year with a still

growing prospect of success . That it has increased alread y is owing to the great assistance I have received from all the Grand Officers , and from the firm support which all members of Grand Lodge have given to me in the discharge of the duties of my office . It is most gratif ying to me not only to meet with the support which has been extended to me , and also to notice the feelings of friendshi p

and brotherly love which pervades the members of the Degree wherever I have visited lodges , whether London or provincial . I trust that this feeling may continue , and so long as it does I am sure that the Order will steadily increase , and will maintain the high position among the degrees of Ancient Masonry which it does now . His lordship then apologized for the absence of Lord

Skelmersdale , aud stated that his lordship requested him to explain that it was caused by an important meeting of a society of whicb he was president . He also added that Lord Ske ' . mersdale felt much disappointed at being unable to meet the brethren in Grand Lodge . Bro . Sabine proposed , and Bro . Magnus Ohren seconded the re-election of Bro . F . Davison as Grand Treasurer .

Carried unanimously . The following brethren were invested and saluted as Grand Officers for tbe year -. — Rt . Hon . Lord Skelmersdale Deputy G . Master Rt Hon . the Earl of Donoughmore ... Grand Sr . Warden Sir Henry St . John Halford , Bart . ... Grand Jr . Warden

Rev . P . M . Holden Grand Chap . Rev . F . W . Thoyts Grand . Chap . Frederick Davison ..., Grand Treas . H . C . Levander Grand Reg . Frederick Binckes Grand Sec . A . B . Cook .. ,,, Grand M . Overseer D . M . Dewar Grand S . Overseer

J . D . Moore , M . D , Grand J . Overseer W . Rowe Grand S . Deacon R . C . Else Grand S . Deacon A . Spears Grand J . Deacon T . C . Roden , M . D Grand J . Deacon W . Wigginton Grand S . of W . Robert Berridge Grand Dir . of Cer .

Walter Spencer Grand A . D . of C . Hyde Pullen Grand Swd . Br . Joseph G , Podevin Grand Std . Br . W . T . Belchsr Grand Organist . Thomas Poore Grand I . Guard . J . Tomlinson , S . S . Pearce , M . Crowden , S . Robinson , G . J . McKay ,

H . M . Baker , George Boulton Grand Stewards The M . W . G . M . appointed Bros , the Rev . G . R . Portal , W . E . Gumbleton , Thomas Meggy , S . Rosenthal , R . VV . Edis , Dibdin , and C F . Matier as members of the General Board . Bros . Sabi , ie , Ohren , Dewar , Cubitt , and Roebuck were elected by the Grand Lodge to serve on the Board . The M . W . G . M . then said that at the last Grand Lodge an invitation was received from the Province of Cumberland and Westmoreland to hold the moveable Grand

Lodge in the Lake District . He then postponed giving any answer , as it was very early to appoint a meeting . The invitation had now been renewed , and on behalf of Grand Lodge he had accepted it , and he appointed tine meeting to take place between the beginning and middle of next September . Bro . G . J . McKay , of Kendal , ' promised the Grand

Master and brethren a hearty welcome . Grand Lodge was thereupon closed with the usual formalities , and the brethren adjourned to an excellent banquet . The M . W . G . M . was unable to stay to the banquet , and the Earl of Donoughmore presided in his stead . At the conclusion of the banquet the toasts were proposed . Lord Donoughmore having proposed the first toast 01

" The Queen and Mark Masonry , " which was drunk wi * enthusiasm , proposed " The Grand Master of the Order , and the Past Grand Masters . " He was sorry the Grand Master was absent because he usually liked to get him ( LM Donoughmore ) on his legs and to get a speech out of him ! and he would have liked that evening to have returnc the compliment . Lord Limerick hail presided now fort " as Grand Master of the OrderEvery brother of tn Aiiuo 1 ui utu uvi j

years . jridta O . J u .... . n . v . . ~ ., ~ . ~ . . Order deeply sympathised with his lordship some ' ago on a domestic affliction overtaking him , and he : w . afraid that that affliction had something to do with n absence that evening . There were several Past ut ~ . Masters—Lord Leigh , Lord Carnarvon , Lord Holmesuai , Bro . Beach , Bro . Portal , and Lord Percy . He vfas Mg to say they were all alive and kicking , and he thought suoke verv well forthe ffood dinners of the Mark Deg 0

Lord Donoughmore then proposed " The Health Deputy Grand Master , Lord Skelmersdale , and the ui Officers . " They all knew what good Lord Skelmcrs " was doing in the Craft Grand Lodge of Eng land an