United Grand Lodge Of England.

" ^ ~ we of his Royal Highness ' s beneficent rule over us leads us to look eXper ' rl with confidence to ' the future , and I trust that your unanimous forivaro ^ tQ him and t 0 the outs * de world our high apprev . * n of him as a man and our fraternal respect for him as a Mason . " u r hear . ) I beg , therefore , to propose H . R . H . the Prince of Wales ( rrand Master of Masons for the ensuing year . 35 Rro J SMITH , P . M ., in seconding the motion , said that under the n * rp ' of Wales ' s auspices Freemasonry not only had risen but must rise

. •' nortance throughout the known world . ThP motion was carried unanimously amidst loud applause , and bir K nr-RT WOODS ( Garter ) , P . G . W ., G . D . C , proclaimed his Royal HVhness the pr * nce 0 f Wales M . W . G . M . of Ancient Free and Accepted M « ons of Eng land for the year ensuing . M Pr / Asher Barfield , P . M . 511 , and Stephen Barton Wilson , P . M . and

r " w were then duly proposed and seconded as candidates tor tne art of Treasurer . Bro . Barfield was elected by 643 votes against 166 . The following grants recommended by the Board of Benevolence were then confirmed : — A brother of the Aire and Calder Lodge , No . 45 S , Goole ... £ 50 o o A brother of the United Pilgrims Lodge , No . 507 , London ... 5 ° ° ° A brother of the Trinity Lodge , No . 254 , Coventry ... ... 100 o o

A brother of the Humphrey Chetham Lodge , No . 645 , Manchester 100 0 0 The widow of a brother of the St . George ' s Lodge , No . 109 S , Tredegar T - * - SO o o A brother of the St . James ' s Union Lodge , No . 1 S 0 , London ... 50 o 0 The widow of a brother of the Royal Somerset Lodge , No . g ? 3 ,

Frome ... - - - - 5 ° o o The widow of a brother of the St . Thomas ' s Lodge , No . 1914 , Kidsgrove ... ... ... •••, —• 5 ° 0 0 A brother of the Vale of Catmos Lodge , No . 1265 , Oakham ... 50 o 0 A brother of the Earl of Carnarvon Lodge , No . 1642 , London ... 50 o 0 The widow of a brother of the St . Maughold Lodge , No . 1075 , 100

Ramsey , Isle of Man ... ... ... •••o o A brother of the Montefiore Lodge , No . 1017 , London ... ... 100 o 0 A brother oi the Holmesdale Lodge , No . S 74 , Tunbridge Wells ... 100 o 0 A brother of the Marquis of Dalhousie Lodge , No . 1159 , London 50 o o

A brother of the Southwark Lodge , No . S 79 , London ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Salopian Lodge o £ Charity , No . 117 , Shrewsbury 50 o o A brother of the Fitzroy Lodge , No . 569 , London ... ... 50 o 0 A brother of the Whittington Lodge , No . S 62 , London ... 50 o o

The following Report of the Board of General Purposes vvas adopted—To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England . The Board of General Purposes beg to submit a Statement of the Grand

Lodge Accounts at the last meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , the 17 th day of February instant , showing a Balance in the Bank of England ( Western Branch ) of £ 5712 18 s . 7 d ., and in the hands of the Grand Secretary for Petty Cash £ 100 , and for Servants' Wages £ 100 , and Balance of Annual Allowance for Library £ 17 7 s . iod .

( Signed ) THOMAS FENN , President Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C , 21 st February , 1888 .

The Report of the Auditor of Grand Lodge accounts vvas also adopted . Bro . F . A . PHILBRICK , Q . C , G . R ., then brought forward the appeals . The first was from a brother who had been expelled Masonry by the District Grand Lodge of Canterbury , New Zealand . The District

Grand Lodge expelled him for desertion of his wife and family and committing adultery . Bro . Philbrick explained that it vvas of the utmost consequence that Masons in dealing with matters which were before them , and which the tribunals investigate and decide upon , should limit themselves to Masonic mattero . If they travelled

out of their province , they not only had no means of enforcing their own decrees , but they assumed to themselves a jurisdiction they did not possess . It was no part of his duty to enter into the details of this case vvhich might or might not have been properly established in evidence . The evidence sent home certainly at the present moment was far from

complete ; but it could not be too carefully borne in mind that Masonry was an Institution which existed for Masonic purposes , and that Masons were not , unless a Masonic offence had been committed , general " censores morum . " they had not to take cognisance of matters which were outside the province of Masonry , and for this reason he ventured to submit to Grand Lodge what

he thought himself , that this matter vvas entirely a matter outside of Masonry , and was not one on which as a Masonic body they ought to enter into or express their opinion upon . Under these circumstances he thought lnat the District Grand Lodge was entirely wrong in dealing with the matter , and that the appeal of the brother ought to be allowed .

« ro . THOMAS FENN , P . G . D ., President Board of General Purposes , seconded the motion , and the appeal was allowed . P iu - PHILBRICK next brought up the appeal by Bro . John C Cobbe , ^ •M . of Lodge Goodwill , No . 4 65 , Bellary , Madras , against the decision of the Deputv District Grand Masterin charp-eof Madrasdeclining

, , , 10 interfere in a matter at issue between Bro . Cobbe and Lodge No . 465 , relative to a proposed presentation from it to him . The circumstances ° 'he case were that the brother had had a clock voted him for his services to the lod ge ; but before the clock had arrived from England , the brother L , fc-- , UU-. UC 1-JIC INC U 1 UUIV licyyy ai . ivi * u uut" ui . giauu , n ' . wumw

aQ done something which offended some brethren , and the vote was not ¦ j onnrmed , and the clock not presented . He appealed to the District Grand ° age , vvhich declined to interfere on the ground that it was a matter ntirel y f 0 r Lodge 465 . Bro . Philbrick recommended and moved the masai

— " ot the appeal . ° ° - THOS . FENN seconded the motion , which was put and carried . Mi hi next brought up the appeal by Bro . Henry Alfred ruli r ° the Emu'aticn Lodge , No . 2071 , Sydney , N . S . W ., against a Brni the District Grand Master of New South Wales declaring that ro . OSenh Tatrmc A 1 !„„ t \\ T U ~ A Uwr , A . A ., o \ artaA \ A 7 M nf tho cairl \ *** /

lOdpp 1 - •' . «» IICII , J . vv ., "au » w « UU 'J . yy . y .. y . ....... v . y ., y , - " - of fh thl . case Bro . Allen , J . W ., was elected W . M ., and the ground s 'all 1 c , ° P ' ining brother vvas that when Bro . Allen vvas elected and intharf \ x ^ * keen I 2 months a Warden . Bro . Philbrick explained an d thr ard . was elected W . M . 11 months after he had been a Warden , a \ y j blowing month his election was confirmed , he had been 12 months stai | e j n according to the Constitutions , and was duly elected and in-Nnwo ^ ' on lhe 19 th November 1886 he was electedand on the 18 th

v , , , adviSe ( j " ' ?^ 7 . . he was installed , he vvas properly placed in the chair . He lhe n ; . . dismissal of the appeal and the confirmation of the ruling of £ " ct Grand Master . W MAST- P ' - HOS * P £ NN seconded the motion , and it was put by the GRAND G ~„ J T th f chair and carried . na L ° age was then closed .

Consecration Of The Earl Of Leicester Lodge, No. 2237, At Wells, Norfolk.

CONSECRATION OF THE EARL OF LEICESTER LODGE , No . 2237 , AT WELLS , NORFOLK .

The somewhat unusual ceremony of the consecration of a new lodge in the Province of Norfolk took place at Wells , on Monday last , and , judging from the spirited way in which the proceedings were carried out , and the interest shown in them , a successful future may be safely predicted for this , the first lodge ever established in the ancient town of Wells . The D . P . G . M ., Bro . Major Penrice , performed the ceremony , assisted by Bros . H . G . Barwell , P . P . S . G . W ., as S . W . ; G . Baxter , P . P . S . G . W ., as

J . W . ; Rev . H . Wimble , P . P . G . C , a . s Chap . ; and J . B . Aldis , P . G . Sec . There were also present the founders—Bros . G . V . Grummett , P . P . A . G . D . of C , W . M . ; Rev . J . E . Player , S . W . ; A . Goddard , J . W . ; A . W . Ralling , Sec . ; H . A . Dewing , S . D . ; A . Whitlock , J . D . ; and Wm . H . PGSTCC I CT Visitors : Bros . T . J . Ralling , P . A . G . D . C . Eng ., P . G . Sec . and P . G , S . E . Essex ; W . H . Tench , I . P . M . 99 6 , P . G . Std . Br . ; Cleare Bowles ,

114 ; W . Rituthovry , 1808 , P . G . S . ; J . Hall , 1114 ; O . Hudson , 1114 ; G . F . Smith , 1114 ; G . W . Bernard , 943 , P . P . G . R . ; VV . P . Spoweth , 943 , P . J . CD . ; W . Lake . 131 , P . P . G . R . Cornwall ; W . A . Driver , 313 , P . G . Steward ; W . G . Sheringham , 1114 , P . P . S . G . W . ; E . Baldwin , P . M . 40 , 341 , and 943 ; R . F . A . Atkinson , P . M . 1114 , P . P . A . G . D . C ; VV . H . Anderson , W . M . 996 ; F . B . Ouinton , P . M . 1808 , P . P . A . G . D . C . ; J . Dixon , W . M . 1808 , P . P . G . R . ; J . Wainvvright , 1114 ; C . H . Rust , 213 ; J . Tench , 213 ; T . Coninby , 807 ; E . Pugh , 1808 ; F . Smith , 213 ;

T . Mackley , 15 80 , P . P . A . G . D . C * . M . J . Bailey , 1 5 , P . P . G . Std . Br . ; R . Gunn , P . M . 93 , P . P . G . Sec ; C . J . Campling , 1 5 , P . G . Org . ; E . Hollis , 93 ; G . E . Waterson , 1114 ; and R . Edge , 1794 . The DEPUTY PROV . GRAND MASTER , in addressing the brethren on the nature of the meeting , referred to the ceremony as being one of an important and solemn character , and calling for the serious and thoughtful attention of all present . At the conclusion of the address Bro . the Rev . H . WIMBLE delivered the following oration , which vvas listened to vvith marked

attention : — Brethren , —It has been the custom from time immemorial that , on such an occasion as this , a few words should be spoken on the nature and principles of our Institution . The sanction for this custom I find in the conduct of our G . M ., King Solomon himself , who , as we read in Holy Writ , on the occasion of the dedication of the Temple " stood before the altar ofthe

Lord and solemnly bade the children of Israel to keep the Law , to fear their God , to walk in His ways . " Following this high precedent , let me now ca . ll your attention , in the first place , to the definition of Masonry in its nature and essence—that it is a system of morality . What is it that first , strikes the candidate in lodge when light is restored but that Sacred Volume of the Law which we have just sealed , with our lips and vvhich is the

embodiment of all morality , the revelation of the Great Architect of the Universe , who has there set forth the rules that should guide and regulate the moral world with no less unerring accuracy than those which guide the physical universe ? And the definition continues , "it is veiled . " That Masonry should thus be veiled from the outer world has been urged as a reproach against it , but if we examine it closely we shall find , I think , that therein lies much of

its strength . Were the privileges of Masonry thrown open to the world , the Craft , perchance , would fall into neglect , for , as Tacitus says— " Omne igno-Ium pro magnifico . " Where there is mystery there is greater attraction for humanity . So our forefathers and masters in the Craft were wise when they made our Order a secret one , and yet one whose secrets are open to the candid inquirer who seeks by lawful means , open to the good and the

worthy of every class of mankind . How valuable is the training that man receives who is taught to practise the value of fidelity with which his lodge is closed . Saith not our G . Master , Solomon— " He that refraineth his lips is wise ; " and this true wisdom the good Mason will carry into his commerce with society at large , and , indeed , that virtue is no small bond thereof ; for how could public business be carried ori were the secrets of the

Cabinet betrayed by a statesman , or how would commerce flourish were each man's * private business opened to the world , and what is our opinion of the individual to whom empty gossip is as the breath ol his life , and who hears but to tell to the first he meets ? It is veiled in allegory , and illustrated by symbol . How rich and varied a theme for treatment , did not time forbid more than a few illustrations of

the way in which allegory and symbol go hand in hand to set forth the beauties of our Order . The three who rule a lodge—the Sacred A reminding us of the three great Craft Masters—S . K . I ., H . K . T ., and H . A . B ., teach us that as in the outer world so in the lodge , though all as Masons meet on the level , yet some must rule and some obey , and that so alone true harmony can be established . The principal point of Masonry

is threefold , and comprises the exalted virtues of Brotherly Love , Relief , and Truth . Thus in the first we follow the teaching of the Saviour in His parable of the Good Samaritan . We look not at a brother Mason ' s politics , for in the lodge we have them not . We inquire not into his religion or creed , provided he acknowledge the G . A . O . T . U ., any more than did the Samaritan , whose temple was on Gerizim ; that of the Jew who worshipped at Jerusalem . His colour or his country alike are indifferent to

us . If he but employ the universal language of Masonry , and exhibit the signs and tokens of his profession , he is our brother , entitled at all times to our courtesy and attention , and , if needs be , to our relief . And this is the second virtue , Relief . Who can with more legitimate pride than a Mason point to better proofs as he contemplates those noble institutions which so practically illustrate its theories and exemplify its doctrines—proofs not of his excellency as a man , but of the excellency of his

Craft—The widow ' s tear , the orphan s cry , AU wants our ready hands supply , So far as power is given ; Tht naked clothe , the prisoners free , These are thy works , sweet Charity , Revealed to us from Heaven .

And the third is Truth—an essential to the Free and Accepted Mason The sacred dictates of Truth must be the guide and director of all his actions . To be good men and true is one of the first of Masonic lessons—uprig ht as the perpendiculars , firm and secure on a truthful basis . Such are but a few of the modes of illustration of our Order , and I might multiply

them and tell you how every letter and figure has its moral lesson—how the white of your aprons is emblematical of the innocence and integrity that should clothe you—how the Three Degrees are an allegory of man ' s passage through life , from the cradle to the grave , from the time when naked and poor and penniless you stand in the lodge-- —until you pass through the grave and gate of death to the serener heights of Master Masonry , as I