Grand Lodge.

The next business was the motions , the first of which was in the following terms by Bro . Sir Patrick Colquhoun , P . M . 447 : — " Whether Grand Lodge countenance the Rite of 0

Misraim of 90 , the Rite of Memphis , and the Order of Rome and Constantine ? and if not , whether it be consistent with the position of a subaltern in the Grand Secretary ' s ofiice that he take a lead in these unrecognised degrees ' ("

The M . AV . G . M ., after alluding to it , said : That proposal is not in the nature of a resolution , but of a question . It is not stated in the notice , as it stands , to Avhom lhat question is addressed . I must inform our worthy brother that owing to my absence from England—an

excuse , I am sure , Avhich he will be good enough to accept—to Avhich I returned only late on Friday evening , I had not , as a matter of fact , the paper of business in my hands until I came to the Masonic Hall this evening . Consequently , my attention was not called to the motion of our

excellent brother . I can only say that any motion of his would have commanded my attention if I had been here to attend to the business of Grand Lodge , as I ought to have done ; but I have further to say , that , on the first blush , as a matter of order , a question in this form has

hitherto , according to our practice , not been put in Grand Lodge . I have , hoAvever , not had time to look into the question , and should not feel myself justified , until I have done so , in ruling our Bro . Colquhoun out of order . At the same time , I do not desire to set a precedent

which might have some inconveniences , unless I should see good reason for so doing . Under those circumstances , I would venture to appeal to our worthy brother to have the goodness to abstain from putting his question at the present

time , to allow me to look more carefully into the matter than I have been able to do , and to have some private communication with him , in Avhich I may learn his views on the question of order between this and next Quarterly

Communication . Bro . Sir Patrick C . Colquhoun : It Avould ill become me as a Mason , and it would ill become me as owing obedience to the head of the Craft , were I for a moment to hesitate in accepting the proposition which is thrown out b y your lordship . The only object I could have

Avould be that " all things be done decently and in order . " I would not , under any circumstances , take any man by surprise , much less a member of the Craft . I therefore accede wilh much p leasure to the proposition which has been thrown out from the chair in the same terms in Avhich it was proposed . ( Cheers ) . Bro . Raynham AV . Steward , in bringing forward his

motion" That in future the meetings of Grand Lodge shall take place at five o'clock in the afternoon , and that the Law No . 10 , relating to the Laws of Grand Lodge , be altered from ' ten , ' by inserting the word ' eight' instead of ' ten' in the second line , "

said he did it to suit no purpose of his own , hut simply in the name of Freemasonry , and with regard to altered circumstances . Fifty or sixty years ago , before railways were introduced , the brethren resided in London , and Grand Lodge was easy of access ; but now , when most brethren

lived out of town , their anxiety Avas to get home early . They therefore felt that , by meeting as late as seven o ' clock , and the proceedings not being over till eleven , they were debarred from entering into a full participation of the benefits of Grand Lodge . The provincial brethren , if

lodge met at five , would be able to attend , and get back to their homes the same night . He did not think brethren would suffer much inconvenience by attending at five , as even now , in their own private lodges , they met as early as four . He had no personal feeling in the matter ,

and would not press his motion if the brethren did not agree with him . He merely threw out the hint . The motion appeared likely to drop for want ofa seconder , but a brother , who said that rather

than a full discussion of the matter should be stopped on that ground , having stood second sponsor to it ,, Bro . James Mason , P . G . S . B ., had hoped the time of the Grand Lodge would have been saved

Grand Lodge.

by a seconder not having been found . Some brethren seemed to think that nothing was good but Avhat was changeable , and the oftener it was changed the better it Avas . The time now fixed for the meeting of Grand Lodge appeared to him most convenient for , at all events , the London

Masons , and Grand Lodge was principally attended by them . Very few country members were present . If the preponderance of this Grand Lodge were country members then their convenience more especially should be studied . Altering the hour of meeting to five o ' clock

would disarrange the business of all the professional members , and would prevent their attending . It would be prejudicial to Masonry to that extent ; City men and brokers it would prevent attending in due time . The suggestion made about the railways was a double-edged sword : the railways afforded great facility for

brethren leaving Grand Lodge late at night . The proposal should be met by a direct negative . These proposed alterations , unless supported by good reasons , should not be brought forward . He thought it was not only wrong but unmasonic to bring such motions on—( no , no)—and he hoped that the opinion of Grand Lodge Avould take the same direction .

Bro . Col . Lowry Cole thought that Bro . Mason's speech had done the motion more good than harm . London Masons did not wish their convenience only to be consulted . This lodge Avished to do justice , and attend to the convenience of all Masons alike . He himself would

be much inconvenienced by Grand Lodge meeting at five o ' clock instead of seven , but he would put up with that if a majority of country members found it convenient . Bro . John Symonds thought that Bro . Stewart had done good service to the Craft in bringing

the subject forward . The railways now enabled brethren to come up from all parts of the country , to arrive comparatively early , and to return home the same evening . He was not prepared to move it as an amendment , but his impression was that the proper time for Grand Lodge to meet would be one o ' clock in the afternoon .

( Laughter . ) A large number of meetings in London were held at that hour , and meetings of public bodies were held at that hour . If Grand Lodge were held at twelve or one , brethren from AVest Yorkshire — a province over which his lordship so ably presided—could go down the

same day to their homes . It was an important consideration that brethren from a distant province could come up , and attend to the business of the Grand Lodge . The business of Grand Lodge equally affected brethren in the provinces and in London , and every opportunity should be

given them of attending . Bro . F . Bennoch believed that no complaint had ever been made by the provincial brethren of tlie present hour of meeting . Then , what was the use of raisng the question of meeting at five . Probably every brother in tlie hall could not

possibly come at that hour . There Avas a large paper of business that night , and though they did not meet till seven , yet at the time he Avas speaking ( half-past eight ) that business was nearly over , and would have been quite finished but for the unwise motion which had been introduced . Bro . Stewart had made the modest

remark that he would not press the motion if it was distasteful to Grand Lodge . Well , Grand Lodge did not feel that it could entertain the question , and but for Bro . Mason ' s speech it would have been decided long ago .

The M . W . G . M . : I am just going to make one or two observations before the discussion closes , and before our Bro . Raynham Stewart replies . I should not have naturally thought of taking any part in this discussion ; but at the same time the question is one , whatever may be

thc decision at this moment , which it is not impossible may be raised again ; and I do not think , therefore , it would be fair to Grand Lodge that I should not state thc view which I take from a standpoint perhaps different from

that of many persons now present . Now , I know personally that this change of hour would be exceedingly inconvenient to persons who , like myself , are engaged in parliamentary or official life . AVe have heard the views of those

Grand Lodge.

AVIIO represent the London Masons , and Ave have heard the views of those who speak on behalf of the provincial brethren , and I say that , as far as persons connected Avith parliamentary duties are concerned , the change from seven to five would be very inconvenient indeed . It would almost

entirely exclude , in the early part of the session at all events , members of the House of Commons attending Grand Lodge . Everyone acquainted with parliamentary business knows that on AA ' ednesday from five to six o ' clock in the House of Commons is a time Avhen divisions

take place , and critical occurrences arise ; and consequently it would be of serious disadvantage to us in depriving us of the presence of those gentlemen from whom Ave derive much valuable aid . I do not think the slightest value can be attached to Bro . Stewart ' s argument

about the railways ; but he has put the question very fairly before Graud Lodge , and I have no Avish to prejudice you against it . It is a matter which regards the convenience of the majority , and to the convenience of the majority Ave should all endeavour , as far as Ave can , to bow . Although

it might be impossible for many of us to attend at the early hour of five , it is yet a fit question for debate and discussion . Bro . Raynham AV . Stewart would withdraw his proposition , and would not have troubled Grand Lodge with it , but having given notice that he would

bring it on , it would not have been right to withdraw it without giving the brethren on opportunity of ascertaining the general feeling on the subject . The motion was accordingly withdrawn . Bro . Benj . Head , P . G . D ., moved , " That the sum of , _ 5 obe given from the Fund of General Purposes .

That the money be placed in the hands of the Secretary of the Asylum of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and AVidows of Freemasons , to supply the inmates at Croydon with coals during the winter season . " In

doing so he stated that this motion was habitually introduced by the late Bro . John Udall , whose loss they sincerely regretted ; and he then read a memorial which he had received , of the esteem in which Bro . Udall was held by the inmates of the asylum .

The M . AV . G . M .: Brethren , I have one more duty to perforin before I close this Grand Lodgea duty in which I think I shall be undoubtedly supported by every brother in this room—that is , to take this opportunity , the earliest afforded me , of returning my public thanks , and my best thanks , to

Lord Carnarvon , the Deputy Grand Master , for the manner in which he has conducted the business of the Craft during my absence of four months , when an amount of responsibility fell upon his shoulders , which I believe to be almost , if not quite , without precedent in the case of any Grand Master . I

liave reason to believe , from all I have heard , he has discharged those difficult duties to thc entire satisfaction of thc Craft ; and I am very glad to take thc earliest opportunity of thus publicly tendering him my warmest thanks for the able support he has given mc . Grand Lodge was then formally closed .

Thc following brethren comprise the BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES FOR 1 S 71-2 . Bros . J . Ll . Evans , President ; Al . J . M'Intyre , Jas . E . Saunders , J . Van Norton Bazalgette , John Savage , E . J . Fraser , S . L . Tomkins , Horace Lloyd , Sir Albeit

AV . AVoods ( Garter ) , AVilliam Young , Joseph Smith , AV . S . Gover , Benjamin Gray , George J . Palmer , AVilliam liristow , F . A . Philbrick , James Glaisher , Geo . Boulton , Fred . Adlard , AV ' ytliain M . Bywater , . Samuel May , John A . Rucker , John B . Moncton , Edward Cox , Samuel Poynter .

COLONIAL BOARD , 1 S 71-2 . Bros . E . j . Fraser , President j Francis Bennoch , Vice-President ; Joshua Nunn , Joseph Smith , Fred , Adlard , Brackstonc Baker , J . G . ^ Iarsh , James Brett , James AV . Halscy , Edtvard Cox .

It is stated lhat Vivier , the renowned French horn player , received thc sum of six hundred guineas for playing four pieces at a concert recently given at the mansion of Lady Castleton . —Musical Standard . GALVANISM . —Pulvermacher ' s Monthly Record of Cures is 11070 ready for the benefit of Sufferers , containing documentary evidence of remarkable Cures effected by I ' tilvcrmaclicr ' s Improved Patent Self-applicable

Volta-Klcclric Chain-Bands and Pocket Batteries , and may be had on application to the Sole Inventor and Patentee—J . L . Pulvermacher , 200 , Regent-street , London , AV . A Test on Loan sent gratis if required . Caution . —Spurious Electric Appliances being advertised by Quack Doctors , Patients should consult Pulvermacher ' s Pamphlet on that subject ( free by post ) , embodying other most interesting matter for those suffering from Rheumatic and Neuralgic Pains , Functional Disorders , & c ., & c —[ Advt . ]