United Grand Lodge.

by brethren to the Lodge of Benevolence . They had all thc facts of the case before them , and according to their discretion they voted a sum of money which they thought suitable to the deserts of the applicant . That being done it had to come before Grand Lodge and be submitted ; that when a case had passed through those two ordeals thc brother was entitled to

payment . It was a hardship in many cases to have to wait . Instances had occurred where for want of the sum the opportunity of reinstating a brother had passed and gone . The . £ 10 paid on account was all absorbed in the expenses of living . He would therefore propose to insert after thc words " Forty pounds "

" That any applicant seeking relief from the Board of Benevolence , and being voted such a sum as requires the confirmation by Grand Lodge , shall , within twenty-four hours , or immediately after such a Grant has been so confirmed , be entitled to receive the same in full without any further delay , save only £ 10 or such portion ( if any ) of £ 10 tlic grantee may have received on account . "

Bro . RAYNHAM W . STEWART , P . G . D ., seconded the amendment , which he thought would meet the requirements of Bro . Nunn . It was never the intention of Grand Lodge to keep a brother waiting for that which would do him good . He knew several instances where these grants , if given immediately , would have made a brother prosperous , but not being given immediately he had died , and the whole sum was utterly lost . Now , why should

they doubt their Committee . They knew thc case was thoroughly investigated . It was not brought idly up for them to decide in Grand Lodge . Then if the money was granted by Grand Lodge why should not the brother he enabled to receive at once the benefit they intended to give him , without being kept , with his wife , in want for nearly five months . He was quite sure Bro . Nunn did not mean lhat . If they intended to benefit their fellow creatures they must do it simply and at once .

Bro . ARTHUR E . GLADWELL , W . M . No . 172 , wished to say ^ -i few words . A liberal grant was perhaps made by thc Board shortly after the meeting of Grand Lodge . The brother , in lhat case , would have to wait for five months and three-quarters , and in thc meantime be in distress for a £ 5 note . The grant put into his hands at- once would be very valuable ; , £ 50 on account " when he had to wait five and three-quarter months would just pay his expenses . He submitted lhat one confirmation by Grand Lodge ought al least to be sufficient , without going to a second quarterly hearing .

Bro . F . BINCKES , P . G . S . thought this a question of very great importance . The motion and amendment were in the same direction , though one went considerably beyond the other . As an old worker at the Lodge of Benevolence he knew there were cases where grants of a large amount would have been almost nugatory and of no effect if some good friends of the applicants had not come forward and advanced money till

the grant was receivable from Grand Lodge . That was a state of things that ought not to be allowed to exist . They had a large fund at their disposal , as described by their excellent President , than whom no one was more competent to speak on such a subject or to sit on such a Board . That Board was disposed to give liberally to the applicants that came before it . The grants had largely increased , as the brethren had experienced in the

last few years . It appeared to him that by the present law Grand Lodge itself interfered between the desire of that Board to administer relief and the applicant who sought it . The motion and amendment were only directed to grants of considerable amount . It must be obvious that no brother , under any circumstances whatever , would attempt to support an exceptionally large grant before the Lodge of Benevolence unless he had good and sure

grounds on which to recommend it ; he would put that case before the Board knowing it fully , and after strict scrutiny . The Board having thoroughly examined it—it was not a small Board ; it frequently consisted of sixty or seventy brethren from all parts of London—recommended Grand Lodge to grant , say £ 250 . Grand Lodge confirmed the recommendation , and then it had to go to a subsequent Grand Lodge . He

submitted that if it passed the scrutiny of thc Board , and afterwards of the Parliament of the Craft in Grand Lodge assembled , after having been more than a week on the notice paper , that was enough . If they waited for thc registration of that vote three months afterwards the person was starving in the meantime . If ever the old hackneyed quotation " bis dat qui cito dat" was applicable it was in this case . He sincerely hoped that all

thc brethren were in favour of the progressive motion of Bro . Nunn , but he was sure they would all think that in all his good feeling , that motion did not go far enough . By adopting thc amendment of Bro . Perceval they would be doing that which the Fund of Benevolence was organised for—to assist a needy brother nt the time he most wanted assistance . ( Hear , hear . )

Bro . Col . COLE , acting G . S . W ., wished lo say a word on a point of order . If the amendment was carried thc motion would be lost , and thc clause would stand as it was , but with the words of the amendment introduced after the words " forty pounds . " He did not understand how it was to be done . There would be a contradiction . The GRAND MASTER in thc CHAIR said if the amendment was carried the motion of Bro . Nunn would fall to the ground .

Bro . J AMES MASON , P . G . S . B ., thought that it was a prudent course to require the confirmation by Grand Lodge of grants over £ ' 50 . There had been cases in which a few months had enabled the brethren to sec that the large grant they originally believed to be right was entirely wrong , and it had been negatived . Things of moment ought to be done with due deliberation . He concurred with Bro . Nunn and Bro . Clabon . There was a vote

on the paper of £ 250 . If Bro . Perceval s amendment was earned that would be paid to-morrow . ( A VOICE : Certainly . ) But suppose there were many reasons against il , and those reasons were discovered the day after to-morrow , Grand Lodge had no place of repentance ; thc £ 250 would havc lo be paid . Bro . Nunn's proposal would enable £ 50 of the amount to be paid to-morrow ; the rest would not be paid unlilGrand Lodge had had an opportunity of further considering it . To his mind , that was the better plan .

Bro . the Rev . R . J . SIMPSON , P . G . C , said it seemed to him that the only difference was between a proposition of principle , and a proposition of degree . Bros . Nunn and Clabon had proposed a principle , which appeared to be unanimously accepted by Grand Lodge . Thc only point was whether they should make , lo use a common expression , two bites of a cherry , or whether they should not carry that principle out to its legitimate conclusion . He thought the balance of advantage , although one or two bad cases

might possibly occur , was in favour of giving immediate relief lo a brother . ( Hear , hear . ) If , however , it should so happen that notwithstanding all the lynx eyes of the Hoard of Benevolence , together with the lynx eyes of Bro . Clabon , ils President , and Bro . Joshua Nunn , ils Senior Vice-President , a casre of / , " 2 _ 5 o should escape through them—a case which might virtually be one of obtaining money under false pretences—it would then be in the hands ° f Grand Lodge to reverse thc decision they might now come to when so

United Grand Lodge.

many of these cases occurred . The proposition of Bro . Nunn was a very graceful one , and that of Bro . Perceval was merely carrying out that graceful proposition to its legitimate conclusion . ( Hear , hear . ) Bro . J . M . CLABON need not say that the relief of the distressed was the principle in the mind of Bro . Nunn , of himself , and of the Lodge of Benevolence ; and if they believed that Bro . Perceval ' s amendment would

be for the relief of distress in general they would give way directly : but it is a question of prudence . In a great many cases when they made large grants they were good , and did a great deal of good . But there were cases in which they had had to reverse a large grant on further consideration . They should not mention names : but there were such cases , that they must exercise a final discretion . Bro . Binckes and other brethren had the oratory

on their side ; but there was another side , the side of prudence ; and he ( Bro . Clabon ) and Bro . Nunn and others had the prudence ; and he thought prudence the better part of charity . Bro . Binckes and other brethren had mentioned their experience , but he ( Bro . Clabon ) hoped that the brethren would take the experience of himself and Bro . Nunn as something , and accept the motion of Bro . Nunn . ( Hear , hear . )

Bro . NUNN , after an experience of twenty-one years , looked at this matter as a very vital and important one . Grand Lodge had had to reverse its grants more than once . He thought his proposition was a liberal one to give £ 50 on account . He felt sure thc brethren looked upon it in the same

light . If they gave the whole sum it would be a matter of regret should any question arise afterwards . To give liberally to an applicant was what they all desired . He felt that they would be giving credit to the Board of Benevolence if they left the matter in such a form that they would be able to deal with it in the way proposed .

Bro . PERCEVAL , in reply , said that where a few cases occurred in which grants had to be negatived , the number of cases which were disappointed by not being able to havc the larger sum within a short space of time were too many to be counted , and he was quite sure that with the great care and discretion of the Lodgeof Benevolence the cases unjustl y relieved would be very few , and those justly relieved very many . Grand Lodge divided .

For Bro . Perceval s amendment . . . . 113 Against 150 Majority against .... 37 Bro . Joshua Nunn ' s motion was then put and carried , and Grand Lodge was closed in due form .

Reception Of The Masonic Members Of The British Association At York.

RECEPTION OF THE MASONIC MEMBERS OF THE BRITISH ASSOCIATION AT YORK .

Whilst it will be readily admitted that there are many cities that might fairly contest thc claims of York to pre-eminence on architectural and other grounds , we apprehend that in relation to its position Masonically , not one would object to its being considered as the city of all England which has the best right to pre-eminence , and which of all others was the most suitable

to tender a Masonic reception to thc brethren who are members of the British Association . The idea of so doing was a very happy one , and under the skilful management of Bros . Buckle , P . M . 236 , Cumberland , P . M . 1611 , and T . B . Whylchead , P . M ., assisted by numerous and willing Craftsmen , the meeting was wholly successful from the beginning to the end .

The last few years have witnessed great advances in Masonic criticism , and in consequence many of our cherished idols have toppled over and been cast aside among the rubbish . The " beautiful " and the "true , " however , in many respects havc not departed , and the tradition of York being the home of English Freemasonry has still its many defenders and its numerous

witnesses . Generally speaking , thc "Old Charges of British Freemasons speak of York as the place of the ancient assemblies of the Craft , according to a charter granted many centuries ago . Then , again , York was the head quarters of the " Grand Lodge of all England" until its extinction about a century since , and that city , through the York Lodge , No . 236 , is still the custodian of the old records and other MSS . oi almost priceless value .

' 1 brough the exertions of the lamented Bro . Cowling and Bros . Captain Holland and Joseph Todd to trace missing books and rolls which are entered on the inventory of 1770 , most of the documents are now in the archives of York Lodge . Through the valued offices of the late Earl of Zetland , M . W . G . M ., who was a member of No . 236 , the vol . of Royal Arch Minutes of late last century ( which has been carefully described by Bro . T . B . Whytehead , P . M . 1 C 11 ) , and thc two versions of " Old Charges" ( Nos . 1 and 6 )

were presented to the lodge . In this laudable work other brethren havo also assisted , happily there are not many left to be discovered of consequence . It will be remembered lhat there were no less than six copies of the MS . Constitutions in the possession of the Grand Lodge of All England in 1779 , and it is surely a matter of congratulation , not only for the members of No . 236 , but for all interested in Masonic antiquities , that five of these were exhibited on Monday last .

The character of the York Lodge from 1776 to the present time , apart from its connection with the extinct Grand Lodge , as ils honoured custodian , would alone make it worthy of tendering a reception to the British Association brethren .

United in such a grand work we are also pleased to greet the Eboracum Lodge , No . 1611 , a young but vigorous lodge , which possesses many excellent members ; but , as wc havc said before , on the grounds of York being the city of the ancient assemblies of thc Craft , once having a large meeting within its walls before Grand Lodges were known , and thc " York " Lodge being its legal representative , we rejoice lhat the hall of that lodge was utilised for the gathering of so many learned members of the British Association during one of their most successful meetings .

The reception took place at the Masonic Hall , Duncombe-placc , and the arrangements were admirably carried out by a joint committee formed of the brethren of both lodges , with Past Masters Buckle and Cumberland as Secretaries . In response to the invitations sent out a very large number of acceptances were received from the members and associates of the British Association and others , nnd the assembly of distinguished Masons has rarely

been equalled in the north of England . Thc exhibition of ancient Masonic archives and curiosities was perhaps thc most extensive ever brought together out of London . The two York lodges , as well as several others , and private collectors , contributed many valuable objects , and the archives of thc Grand Lodge of All England , which are in thc custody of thc York Lodge ; formed a notable feature . The brethren assembled in the antc-room , " and