United Grand Lodge.

be a nominal one . ( Hear , hear . ) If they came to the question of pure respect he said nothing , because every brother who had spoken had said that there was no personal matter involved in this proposal of a new Grand Treasurer , because no one who knew their present Grand Treasurer could do other than respect him . ( Hear , hear , and general

cheering . ) He saw he had their entire assent when he said that there could be no personal question . ( Hear , hear . ) Then , why go tothe question of principle 1 What was the principle of making the office a shifting , changing one ? ( Cries of " Oh , oh , " and " vote . " ) Let them consider what they were doing . He hoped Grand Lodge would pause before it made this office ,

which was very dignified , one at the mercy of any amendment that might happen at the moment , without being down on the agenda paper , without a word of notice at all . ( "Oh , oh . " ) He , therefore , asked Grand Lodge to pause before it broke through traditions , which , if traditions were worth anything at all and ' were esteemed anywhere , were esteemed among the body of Freemasons . ( Renewed cries of "vote , vote . " )

The Rev . R . J . SIMPSON , who rose amidst some signs of impatience , said he came into Grand Lodge having only heard the day before that there would be a question raised about a new Grand Treasurer , and he came with the intention of listening , and was thoroughly open to conviction with regard to the princip le involved—for he took it for granted that personal

feeling was laid aside , and it was to be decided purely as a matter of principle . He was now in nearly as great a state of ignorance as at the moment that he entered Grand Lodge upon the main point upon which he believed many brethren besides himself would be guided , and it was for the purpose he rose to ask some expert brother to give thefollowing information :

Bro . Baker h ad said that as soon as the Grand Treasurer got to know his business , to put him out would be a very improper thing . A brother sitting near him told him the office was a perfect sinecure under the safeguards and checks which on a late occasion had been very properly hedged round the oflice of Grand Treasurer . If that were so he ventured to say that the only

possible ground for making this a life office , which all the arguments that night had clearly gone to pronounce—for the better the man and the more thoroughly he did his duty if appointed the more worthy he was to be in that office , and therefore it was to all intents and purposes a'life oflice , and if they tried to remove such a man at the end of io years they would be

doing greater violence than if they removed him at the end of five years ; and hence the legitimate outcome of the arguments had been that whoever be Grand Treasurer be he the best Freemason in the Craft , he was to remain there for life . But what he ( Bro . Simpson ) felt was that , provided this office was a sinecure , provided that neither the solvency nor

anything else in connection with the brother was brought into question in the slightest degree , and that it was purely an honorary office , then he though t that the only collar that was at the disposal of Grand Lodge should be so placed at their disposal and fresh blood should be constantly imported into it —( loud cheers ) , —and that several brethren , as able , as worthy ,

as zealous as Col . Creaton , than whom he believed there was no brother in that Grand Lodge more respected and honoured —( general cheering ) , — but that others who mig ht be his equal in all these various points who would be glad to have the opportunity of bearing an honour which any brother might covet , and that without in any degree derogating from those brethren who had

held the office in times past , but who might under circumstances such as he spoke of be permanent Treasurers for life . Under those circumstances , unless a brother could give him some explicit information to the effect that it was not a sinecure , nor an honorary office , but one of a thorough business

like character requiring the attention of a man as a man of business with regard to the funds of Grand Lodge , unless such an argument was brought forward he must say he was bound to vote in favour of the proposition for a new Grand Treasurer . ( Cheers ) .

The amendment was carried by a large majority , and on being also carried as an original motion Bro . Britten demanded a poll . The Earl of LATHOM said he was so perfectly convinced of the correctness of his judgment that the amendment was carried , that on this occasion he decided a poll was quite unnecessary . ( Cheers . ) He said , Most of the brethren

present are probably aware that on the nth December last , a calamitous fire occurred at Kingston , in the island of Jamaica . when an immense amount of property was destroyed . The District Grand Master in charge has reported that the Masons of his district suffered most serious loss by the fire and has transmitted to the Grand Master an appeal for assistance for them . The

Most Worshipful Grand Master has therefore commanded me to submit to Grand Lodge in His Royal Highness's name the following motion which he thinks the Grand Lodge may fairly grant . " That this Grand Lodge do

contribute the sum of £ 100 guineas , to be paid out of the fund of General Purposes , towards the alleviation of the distress caused among the brethren under the District Grand Lodge of Jamaica by the late calamitous fire in Kingston in that island . "

Bro . MONTAGUE GUEST , M . P ., Prov . G . M . for Dorset : M . W . G . M . in

the chair , I shall have great pleasure in seconding the motion . A BROTHER rose in the hall and said he did not think the amount large enough . The motion , however , was carried " nem . con . " The following recommendations of the Lodge of Benevolence were then confirmed : A brother of the Polish National Lodge , No . 534 , London ... £ 5 ° 0 o

A brother of the Lodge of Harmony , No . 275 , Hudderslield ... 50 o o A brother of the Airedale Lodge , No . 3 S 7 , Shipley ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Furness Lodge , No . 995 , Ulverston ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Doric Lodge , No . 933 , London ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Capper Lodge , No . 107 IJ , London ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Lodge of Sincerity , No . 174 , London ... ... 100 o o A brother of thc Lodge of Concord , No . 632 , Trowbridge ... 100 o o

United Grand Lodge.

The widow of a brother of the Minerva Lodge , No . 250 , Hull ... 75 o o A brother of the Lebanon Lodge , No . 73 , London 100 o o The following report of the Board of General Purposes was afterwards adopted : To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient , Free , and Accep ted Masons of England .

1 he Board of General Purposes have to state thai the Grand Secretary haying reported the reception of some 800 amendments to tho proposed revision of the Book of Constitutions submitted lo Grand Lodge on the ( iih September last , the Board of General Purposes recommend Grand Lod ge to refer these amendments to thc Board to consider and report on .

( Signed ) J B . MONCKTON , Freemasons' Hall , London , VV . C , President . 20 th February , 18 S 3 . To the report is subjoined a statement of the Grand Lodge accounts at the last meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , the i 6 lh February , balance in

showing a the Bank of England of £ 5409 rs . jd ., and in the hands of the Grand Secretary for petty cash £ 75 , and for servants' wages £ 100 . ^ The following report of the Colonial Board was also adopted : To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient , Free , and Accepted Masons of

England . The Board have to report that a letter having been . received the day after the last Quarterl y Com munication from the \ V . Master of the Buiwer Lodge , No . 1068 , Cairo , Egypt , reporting that thc lod ge which had been in abeyance since the year 1 S 74 , had , owing to thc return of sonic of its old

members to Egypt , been now able to resume its work , the Board beg to recommend to Grand Lodge that the resolution for the erasure of thc said lodge passed at the last Quarterly Communication be rescinded , ancl that the Bulwer Lodge , No . 106 S , Cairo , be permitted lo resume ils labours . ( Signed ) J A . RUCKERP . G . D .

, , Freemasons' Hall , London , VV . C , President 6 th February , 18 S 3 . The report of Bro . R . P . Harding , Auditor of Grand Lodge Accounts of receipts and disbursements during the year 1 SS 2 was likewise adopted ; and Grand Lodge was closed in form .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

The General Committee of this Institution held its March meeting last Saturday at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . Raynham VV . Stewart , P . G . D * presided , and there were also present Bros . John L . Mather , \ . J . DuJT Filer Joyce Murray , C . F . Matier , George Cooper , H . H . Welsh , Rev . Richard Morris , Head Master ; Donald M . Dewar , James Moon , Henry Venn , A F Godson , A . E . Gladwell , C . H VVebb , Fredk . Adlard , C . F . Hogard , Edw Baxter , VV . Maple , George P . Gillard , H . S . Goodall , F . Binckes , Sec , and H . Massey , ( Freemason ) .

The business before the brethren was very light , though the minutes of the former meeting , ot the Audit Committee , and of the ' House Committee occupied some time in reading . There was only onepetition before the Committee , and this was deferred for further enquiry .

Bro . Binckes reported that in accordance with the resolution of the Com mittee at last meeting £ 1000 had been invested in India Four per Cent Debenture Stock , and the Committee then adjourned .

French Masonry.

FRENCH MASONRY .

Wc take the following article from the Comer Stone , and judging from it that such a movement is actually in existence , we can only express out regret to think that any American Mason would so far forget his duty , as a Mason , as lo seek alliance with a so-called Masonic body that allows ils members to declare "there is no God . " If those non-affiliates are in earnest in their Masonic work , let them unite themselves with their lodges , and ive

ga practical exemplification of the virtues of the Order , instead of dragging it down to the dust and besmearing their lambskins with the mire of infidelity and the filth and " muck " of atheism , Or , if for certain reasons , they do not wish to again enter their lodge-rooms , they can form clubs and practically illustrate their devotion to Hiramism by generous deeds and noble actions . These "influential (?) non-affiliates " haviTno need to run to the agnostic Grand Orient of France to secure a rilual to leach

them how to exemplify love and practice charity . If they arc in earnest , they would shun the taint of thc bastard so-called Masonry of lhat recreant organization , and rather strive , by example and precept , to build up thc Masonry of their own land , instead of endeavouring to undermine it by introducing in its midst a spurious and unclean thing , clothed wilh the * foul leprosy of infidelity and atheism . The following editorial speaks for itself : —

" A proposition has been made by a number of influential non-alliliales to introduce into America , or at least the English-speaking portion of il , what is generally known as the modern or French Kite ol Masonry , by the establishment of a Capitular Lodge in each of the large cities , to Work the ritual as sanctioned by the Grand Orient ol France . When organised , the Moderns design inviting all Masons to affiliate with them at a very small feeand in this wise to create

, a competent fund for charitable purposes , which they design expending in the relief and burial of all respectable Masons , irrespective of affiliation , lodge jurisdiction , and other recent innovations . Of course our Grand Lodge will object . stoutly to this pretended invasion of their jurisdiction , and will threaten excommunication of all concerned in the project . But their thunder must fall harmless , inasmuch as they have long since severed fraternal communication wilh

the Grand Orient , and thus of their own accord destroyed the universality of Freemasonry , in which course the French dignitaries nave declined emulation , while the non-affiliates , unrelieved and to be buried like clo" ; ,, are in no worse condition than they exist at present , and cannot be blanied for uniting with any scheme aiming at amelioration of their forced condition . Our Grand Lodges have inaugurated a war against non-alliliales , and these latter are preparing , not for retaliation , but for selt-defcnce . —• Canadian Craftsman .