United Grand Lodge.

vera Company they asked them what was to be done to enable them to find a tenant , but the board had no power to modify their terms unless it was done with the consent ofthe Grand Lodge , and after giving the subject the fullest consideration they recommended that if a tenant

was to be found that the Grand Lodge should consent to a reduction of the rent from _ £ * 1 . 500 to £ IZOQ per annual . In making that recommendation the Board were of opinion that the adoption of it would ba for the interest of the Craft .

Bro . Raynham Stewart said he considered the best way to deal with this matter was to leave it in the hands of the Board of General Purposes , and he had great pleasure in seconding the motion .

BTO . Mason said he feU svjte that many ot the brethren must have been taken by surprise at the proposed reduction of the rent of the tavern , as a reduction of it had taken p lace three years ago . He should have been glad if he could have supported the proposition , but they were not

there for the gratification of their own feelings , but to legislate for the interests of the Craft . They were the custodians of the property , not for themselves , but for the benefit of others . He contended that if the Tavern Company failed to make it profitable it was through their

mismanagement , and because that was so were they to be called upon to reduce their rent ? It was a matter of notoriety that the tavern was not properly conducted . ( . Loud cries of "Time , time . ") It was all very well for brethren to cry out "Time , " but this was a matter of great importance , and the Book of Constitutions said tint a

brother was not to bi interrupted when he was speaking . If their tavern was properly conducted it would be one of ( hi most prosperous in London . tie opposed the resolution , and moved as an amendment that the report b- - * referred back for further consideration , an . l tint it be brought up at the next quarterly communication .

Some delay occurred before a seconder was found , and after a few words from Bro . Binckes the amendment was negatived , and th-i original motion was put and agreed to by a large majority . The Grand Registrar ( Bro . YE . J .

Mclntyre ) then moved the adoption of the following paragraph of the report : — " At the meeting on the 16 th May , after the ordinary business was concluded , it was proposed , seconded , and carried unanimously , that the best thanks of the members of the board are

eminently merited by the President for the great attention he has paid to the duties of his office , for thc admirable manner in which he Ins discharged them , and the great courtesy and kindness he has on all occasions evinced to his colleagues , and they arc therefore fraternally tendered to him . "

Ihe motion having been seconded , it was put and carried unanimously . Bro . Monckton said he felt that he could best express his grititude to the Grand Lodge by saying as little as possible , but he felt deeply grateful for their kindness to him upon all occasions .

The Report of a Special General Meeting of the Governors and Subscribers of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , held at Freemasons' Hall , on Tuesday , the 25 th day of April , 1876 , was before Grand Lodge , and the following proposed alterations in the rules ,

which were then agreed to , were , in accordance with the laws of the Institution , submitted for the approval of Grand Lodge : — That Law 4 , page 12 , be altered by substituting the figures " ^ ' 40 " for 0 P 36 , and that Law 4 , page 1 5 , be also altered by substitutin ? - the figures " ^ 32 " fora £ 28 . The laws a * altered now read thus : —¦

" The amount & f the annuity shall be £ 40 per annum , " and "The amount of annuity shall be £ 32 per annum . "

The report and alterations were put aad agreed to , Bro , Mclntyro sa ' cl thero wo ; an app .-al of Pro . \ V . C . Row . ' . W . M ., of the Lodge ol * Truth , Ko . f / 44 , Boniba / i 'giin < * t Ult * deci- rio-i . of tjie

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R . W . District Grand Master of Bombay , censuring the lodge for having passed and raised a brother at one and the same meeting . This appeal was of a rather curious character , as there could be no doubt tbat the District Grand

Master was right in his decision . The facts of the case appeared to be that the W . Master of the lodge was absent from his lodge in India , and the Senior Warden was a Mason made under the Scotch Constitution , under which it was not uncommon — in former

times more than at present—for more than one degree to be conferred in the same night . He gave a direction to the J . W . to apply to the District Grand Master for a dispensation for the two degrees to be conferred on the same ni ght . The District Grand Master happened also to be absent

and it so occurred that his deputy was also a Scotch Mason , and he , acting on his knowledge of Scotch Masonry , granted the dispensation . In the event it happened that on the evening in question there was no P . M . of the lodge present , but there was a P . M . from another lodge , and

he , acting on the dispensation , conferred the degrees upon the same night . Somehow or other a report of the proceedings was communicated to a Masonic paper that is published in India , and in the notes and queries in that paper it was

asked whether this was not a rather extraordinary proceeding . I do not know that a document was sent home , but it came to b-5 known in England , and our worthy Grand Secretary , who is always takino- care that nothina * wron < r should be done

in Masonry , heard of it , and a communication was made to India . On its receipt , the District Grand Master for Bombay acted very properly ; he called attention to the irregularity that had occurred , ami stated . hat under all the circumstances he censured the lodge for their

irregularity , censured the brethren who had taken part in the proceedings , and warned them not to do it again . In the meantime the S . W . resigned his oflice nnder the English Constitution , and so escaped censure . Now , against this censure there was an appeal , on the ground that those

censured weie not tho o : ily persons to blame and that those others had not been censured . Bro . " \ fclr . tyre concluded bv suggesting that the appeal should be dismissed , and that the decision of the District Grand Master should be confirmed , which was done accordingly . Bro . Havers : During a period of nearlv 40

years , 30 of which I have spent in the active exercise of the duties of Grand Lodge , many times I have addressed you , many times plertsurably , often on difficult occasions , and though I have lately felt disposed to leave the discussions here to younger ani abler hands I find that there is still an occasion on which I must claim

the privilege of audressing you . If ever there was an occasion in which I spoke with confidence this is the occasion , because the subject of my remarks will find its way to the heart of every man present . I beg to propose that this Grand Lodge desires to return its humble and

hearty thanks to the Almighty Architect of the Universe for the safe return to his native land of their beloved Grand Master , His Royal Highness the Prince of Wale « , and in memory of that happy event , determine to devote the snm of £ ¦ 1000 in aid of the restoration of the two

churches which are the most intimately connected with the history of Freemasonry in England . I therefore beg to move that the sum of £ 1000 should be voted for the restoration of St . Paul ' s , and a like sum of /" loco to the

restoration of St . Alban ' s . ( No , no . ) I am sorry to observe those objections . They show that some have come here with a foregone conclusion , but I will ask those brethren to permit me to state my arguments , which , with all modesty , I will endeavour to make clear . None will doubt that

we have abundant cause of rejoicing in the safe return of our beloved Grand Master , but if v / e have occasion to return thanks for the safe return of the Prince of Wales , we have abundant reason to return thanks for the blessings which have been

vouchsafed to our Order . Any one who will compare Masonry now with Masonry twenty yours ago cannot fail to bo struck with the result . Our charities are fiouriahing beyond thc expectation of the most sanguine of us all j we havo not A shilling of debt , we hove HO increas-

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ing income of £ 12 , 000 , and an expenditure of 1-jss than £ 6000 ; we have , therefore , abundant means to assist on a great public occasion . Now no doubt the grant of £ 2000 is a large outlay to make to bodies that are not strictly Masonic Masonry never lost and never will lose by step !

ping out of the beaten track . Some say that ought to devote this to our charities . The success of the charities is secure ; whatever they hive had , they are having , and will continue to have . The welfare of our Order , and the success of our charities is our first consideration , but it is

unwise to restrict our charities to- these sole objects . We should teach the outside worl d that Masonic charity can go outside of Masonry . I think it is a wise and politic thing for Grand Lodge to step out of the beaten track , and [ think this a grand opportunity for doing so .

Now , it may be asked , what claims have St . Paul ' s and St . Alban ' s upon us ? And wh y should we give our funds for denominational purposes : I will endeavour to show you . St . Alban , like him whom we have all represented , lost his life , as you know , from his fidelity to his

order . He was the builder of that great Abbey that bears his name , probably one of the most beautiful structures in the country . To most of us St . Alban ' s is familiar . To those who have not seen it I would say you could not better spend a summer afternoon than in viewing the

grand work I have mentioned . All St . Alban ' s history is associated with our most cherished traditions , but it is not because he gave his life to save the life of his guest that we principally cherish his memory ; it is because he was the founder of the first Grand Lodge of England .

St . Paul ' s brings us down to a much later date . It was built , or rather rebuilt , by our most illustrious Grand Master Sir Christopher Wren . You know it is one of the greatest ornaments of the metropolis ; and probably you know , too , that fche interior of the building has never been

completed according to his designs . I may mention , incidentally , that the identical maul and working tools that he used are now used in his own lodge , the Lodge of Antiquity . I am told that this vote if carried would be for a denominational object . Outside these

walls I hate the term " denominational . " It is not denominational ; as well mi ght you say that Grand Lodge is denominational , because the plain truth is this , Masons are of no special religion , they honour every man ' s religion and interfere with none . IJ ask you to vote this

money to these churches because I think that there could not be a better thank-oftering to God ; I ask you only because these are historical ornaments which are inseparably and intimately connected with our honoured Institution . Let us look even to our neighbours on the

continent ; be their head king or emperor , or the government republican , they devote a sum annually to the restoration of a cathedral . Have our provincial brethren considered this objection when they restored St . Mary , Redcliffe , or Gloucester Cathedral ? They did not consider

that their gifts were for denominational purposes . There are some , who know nothing of us , who charge us with being of no reli g ion . I need not waste a moment ' s words upon these . Every Mason who hears me knows it is utterly untrue . I will venture to say on my own

behalf , and I think I may say on yours , that Masonry is a help to religion . I ask you to accept my resolution at the end of a long Masonic life , as I feel assured it will make us stand better in the eyes of the world ; it will induce men of higher influence and greater

intelligence —( no!)—to join our Order . Let us pass this resolution in justice to ourselves ; let us do it in reverence for our predecessors—why should you allow their cherished works to languish and decay . We never close our social gatherings without wishing for our poor or distressed brethren a safe return to their

native country if they desire it . How much more then should we show our gratitude when the safe return of our beloved Grand Master has been granted us . It is a grand

opportunity which we should not neg lect as a graceful expression of our feelings towards him , and also of a substantial expression of thanks to Almighty God for a blessing received . 8 eforo concluding I { my moot ion thatjfel Iwve