United Grand Lodge Of England.

Devonshire , S . Pope , F . Richardson , F . H . Gottlieb , E . J . Barron , J . E . Saunder , and H . J . P . lDama =, P . G . Deacons ; C . H . Driver , P . G . S . of VV . ; H . T . Wood , W . Stanley Adams , C . Martin , J . Lewis Thomas , C . Harding ' , A . B . Cook , Magnus Ohren , W . E . Stewart , T . J . Railing , G . Burt , and R . H . Thrupp , P . A . G . Directors of Ceremonies ;

H . Green ,. Dr . VV . R . Woodman , Butler Wilkins F . Binckes , E . Goble , C . F . Hogard , J . E . Dawson , W . Roebuck , C . F . Matier , VV . H . Brittain , G . Kelly , Major G . Lambert , Henri Bue , J . Terry , 5 and E . Bowyer , P . G . S . Bearers ; C . S . Jekyll , P . G . Ore . ; T . Cubitt , A . " Lucking , C . A . Cottebrune , H . Garrod , and James Brett , P . G . Pursurivants .

The minutes of the September Communication having been read and confirmed , Bro . BEACH said , before they commenced the regular business of the evening , there was a very pleasing duty which devolved upon him as the representative of the M . W . G . M . The brethren had all heard in the minules just read that at Grand Lodge in September cordial votes of thanks were

recorded to two distinguished brethren , Sir Albert VV . Woods ( Garter ) , P . G . W ., and G . D . C , and Bro . T . Fenn , P . G . D ., Pres . Board of Gen . Purps ., for their valuable services at the great Masonic Jubilee at the Albert HaU on the 13 th June last , and it was then ordered that these votes should be suitably illuminated and formally presented to these two brethren . The documents had accordingly been duly prepared , and he had now the

pleasure of placing them in those brethren ' s hands , together with illuminated copies of the vote accorded to them by Grand Lodge in June , 18 75 , on the occasion of the installation of the Prince of Wales as Grand Master , but which from inadvertence had not hitherto been prepared and presented to them . In presenting the testimonial to Bro . Sir Albert Woods , Bro . Beach said he knew full well Sir Albert would appreciate it as the testimony not only

of the respect and affection entertained for him by Grand Lodge , but as a slight token of the thanks thebrethren owed to him for his valuable services in connection with those great Masonic occasions which he had mentioned . Bro . BEACH , in making the presentation to Bro . Fenn , said he knew there was no Mason who was ignorant of the valuable services Bro . Fenn had

rendered to Masonry in presiding over the Board of General Purposes . Bro . Fenn was responsible , to a great extent , for the government of the Craft . But the brethren now made this presentation to him in recognition of the important services he had rendered to the brethren on the great Ma'onic occasions to which he had already alluded . ( Cheers . ) After the presentations had been made ,

Bro . Sir ALBERT VV . WOODS ( Garter ) , G . D . C , in acknowledging the gift , said he could bvit renew to the brethren the thanks that he had offered to them in Grand Lodge when the brethren conveyed to him their recognition in their kind and handsome vote of thanks for the services he had performed during the very many years that he had held the office of Grand

Director of Ceremonies . To him it must be a sincere gratification indeed to know that his humble services had been appreciated by this Grand Lodge , and he assured them lhat as long as he had the power those services would ever be given to Freemasonry , and especially to the Grand Lodge . He thanked them most sincerely for the honour they had done him on this occasion and on several other occasions .

Bro . THOMAS FENN said he did not at all expect to be again called upon to return his thanks for the kind vote which the brethren had accorded to him on the last occasion . Were he to repeat what he had said it would be tedious to the brethren , as well as unnecessary ; but he could only sa } ' the success of that great occasion for which they had given their vote of thanks

had been a great pleasure to him and those who so kindly assisted him , and so loyally given their services on that occasion . He thanked them for the very substantial manner in which they had that day recorded and presented him with a vote of thanks which had been granted at the former Grand Lodge .

Bro . BEACH said he had a proposition to make , which he did with a full knowledge that he would have the entire approval of the M . W . the Grand Master , which was that these votes of thanks just presented to their brethren , Bros . Sir Albert VV . Woods ( Garter ) , P . G . W ., G . D . C , and Thomas Fenn , P . G . D ., President of the Board of General Purposes , be accompanied , in each case , by a Masonic Jubilee Jewel , which was approved by the M . W . G . M . at the Royal Albert Hall on the 13 th June last .

The brethren having unanimously signified their assent , the jewels were presented to Bros . Sir Albert Woods and Fenn . Bro . BEACH said he had now a proposition to make on behalf of iheir Grand Master . It came in the shape of a notice of motion from him

—That the sum of £ 500 be voted from the Fund of General Purposes as the contribution of Grand Lodge towards the relief of the present distress amongst the deserving poor of the Metropolis . Masons were very proud of distributing their Charity among members of their Order who might be deserving , and on those who might be dependent upon them and reduced to distress , and that relief was given " with no

stinted hand . But though Masons were very glad on every occasion to mete out the funds at their disposal to tiiose of their Order who required it , still there were certain occasions when it was by no means inexpedient and was extremely fitting that they should recognise the claims of Charity from other quarters , and show that as Masons they could sympathise with distress in whatever quarter it might arise . In an immense City like London , the

population of which was numbered by millions , it could not but be that distress would arise at particular times . It would be quile impossible that employment should be meted out to all on every occasion , but there had been occasions , and of late during the beginning of this winter , when there had been a dearth of employment which had caused considerable irritation . He would not enter into the causes of this , because differences of opinion

might readily arise , and some might say that it was caused partly by the great number of foreigners who flocked towards our Metropolis . But we gave a home to all , from whatever quarter they might come ; and that might possibly have a tendency to make employment less toward our own population . As he said , he was not going to enter into that question ; he would merely state the fact , which he supposed was patent to all , that some

distress did exist . Ihen the question was whether they ( Grand Lodge ) , as representing the Freemasons of England , and representing to a very great extent the Freemasons in this great City of London , and this great Metropolis generally , should not raise themselves to the occasion , and make some grant which would be adequate to show their sympathy with those in distress . It seemed to him that their Grand Master had made this

proposition in the full belief that it would mete out some aid towards those who might be destitute of employment . In what mode it could be best bestowed it was difficult to know at the present moment , but there would be doubtless several modes in which it might be usefully given , and if it could not be usefully given , he should think it would not be given at all ; but he was sure they might trust their Grand Master , for , judging the best mode in which it could be bestowed . He thought it would be a very fitting

United Grand Lodge Of England.

compliment to the Grand Master to allow him the discretion of meting out this amount as best he might think fit . He could not say at the present moment what fund might be raised , and whether this money would be joined to that fund ; but he was sure in placing it in the Grand Master ' s hands they would be placingconfidence in the judgment which would be exercised , and , saying this , he would submit the Prince ol Wales ' s proposal for iheir approval .

Bro . H . D . SANDEMAN said he had great pleasure in seconding the proposal , but he had little or nothing to add to the observations so well made by Bro . Beach . He vvould only observe in very few words that il would not be gainsaid that we had at the present moment very great distress in the Metropolis of London , and , if we were to believe the public press and other signs of the times , it might be that that distress might even yet become

greater . It could not also be gainsaid that they , as hreemasons , were to a great extent a close Society , and that they were not bound to give beyond it ; but they need not give the whole ot it to Freemasons . They might occasionally have an exceptional case in which they might extend their Charity a little outside . He would , therefore , confidently second the

proposition made by the Grand Master in the chair that they devote £ , 500 towards the relief of the present distress , and he thought they could not do more wisely than extend that £ 500 to be used at the discretion of the M . VV . GM ., who , in the goodness of his heart had made this proposal . ( Applause . ) The motion was carried with enthusiasm .

Bro . GABRIEL PRIOR GOLDNEY , P . G . Steward , and W . M . 259 , then said : M . W . G . M . in the chair , —I have the honour to nominate to-night his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales for the office of Grand Master of our Order , and I give notice that at the next Quarterly Communication I shall propose him for re-election . I do not propose on the present occasion to offer any remarks to ihe brethren here , although on the next occasion I shall ask you for a unanimous vote . ( Applause . )

Bro . F . J . TYLER , W . M . Royal Naval Lodge , No . 59 , next rose and said he had the honour to nominate Bro . Stephen Barton Wilson for Grand Treasurer . Bro . Wilson had been a Mason 35 years ; he had served on every Board ; . was Vice-Patron of the Boys' School ; on the Committee of the Benevolent Institution ; he had been VV . M . of the Royal Naval Lodge , No . 59 on the register of Grand Lodge three times , and its Treasurer for

28 years ; he had been M . E . Z . of several chapters ; and for several years had been a leading member , with his father , who was well known as the architect of the Boys' School , of the Emulation Lodge of Improvement . He thought it would commend to the members of Grand Lodge that it was time the London lodges should have the chance of having a Grand Treasurer . The provinces , of courss , had had a Grand Treasurer , and Bro .

Richard Eve was elected Grand treasurer of Grand Lodge on the last occasion as representing the Province of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight . It was the wish he was sure of every member of Grand Lodge that a Grand Treasurer should not be nominated or elected from the same province two years in succession . Of course , he need not tell the G . M . in the chair that the London lodges were very heavily handicapped ; members of provincial

lodges had a great deal more chance of getting into Provincial Grand Lodge , but the members of London lodges had very little chance indeed of getiing Grand honours . He , therefore , nominated their Bro . E ,, B . Wilson , in the confident hope that he , as a very old Mason , and a good man and true in the service of Masonry , would be elected at tlie next Quarter ! } ' Communication of Grand Lodge .

Bro . GEORGE READ , P . M . 511 , said he begged to nominate Bro . Asher Barfield , P . M . 511 , who was well known to all the brethren . He would not detain Grand Lodge by making any observations about Bro . Barfield , but he had great pleasure in nominating him for the office of Grand Treasurer . Bro . BEACH then said he had great pleasure , on behalf of the Grand Master , in appointing Bro . Robert Grey as President of the Board of

Benevolence . Bro . Robert Grey was then re-invested as President of the Board of Benevolence amidst loud applause . Bro . James Brett having been again nominated for Senior Vice-President of the Board of Benevolence , and Bro . C A . Cottebrune as junior Vice-President , Bro . BEACH said , as no other brethren were nominated for those offices , he declared them duly elected .

The following brethren were nominated and elected as the 12 Past Masters to serve on the Board of Benevolence : Bros . George Pole Britten , 183 ; William Peter Brown , 90 ; Thomas Cull , 1446 : George A . Cundy , 901 ; Charles Dairy , 141 ; James Burgess Grieve , 1351 ; Lewis Christopher Haslip , 813 ; David D . Mercer , 1641 ; George Read , 511 ; Francis R . Spaull , 1768 ; Robert J . Taylor , 144 ; Alfred Cooper Woodward , 1538 .

The following recommendations of grants were then confirmed;—A brother cf the Abbey Lodge , No . 11 S 4 , Battle ... ... £ 50 o o A brother of the Lodge of Prudence , No . 1550 , Plymouth ... 50 o o A brother of the Great City Lodge , No . 142 D , London ... 75 o o The widow of a brother of the Zetland Lodge , No . 511 , London ... 50 o o The widow of a brother of the Lodge of Stability , No . 217 ,

London ... ... ... ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Fletcher Lodge , No . IOJI , Birmingham ... 50 o o A brother of the Royal Oak Lodge , No . 871 , London ... ... 100 o o A brother of the Lodge of Antiquity , No . 146 , Bolton ... 50 o o A brother of the Finsbury Park Lodge , No . 12 SS , London ... 75 o o A brother of the Mount Edgcumbe Lodge , No . 144 6 , London ... 50 o o The widow of a brother of the Whittington Lodge , No . 862 , London ... ... ... ... ... 100 0 0

The following report of the Board of General Purposes was 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 meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , the nth day of November ultimo , showing a Balance in ihe Bank ot

England of £ 4443 15 =- 8 d ., and in the hands of the Grand Secretary fov Petty Cash £ 100 , lor Servants' Wages £ 100 , and Balance of Annual Allowance for Library ^ 20 iys . iod . ( Signed ) THOMAS FENN , President . Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C , 15 th November , 18 S 7 .

Bro . BEACH next moved , for the R . VV . Bro . the Earl of Lathom , Dep uty Grand Master : —

That in commemoration of the Twenty-fifth Anniversary of the marriage , or the "Silver Wedding-day , " of their Royal Highnesses our Most Worshipful Grand Master the Prince of Wales and the Princess of VVales , vvhich will occur on the ' ° . , , March next , Grand Lodge do vote the sum of £ 500 for the purchase of some suitab . e gift to her Royal Highness , expressive of the affection and loyalty felt by all the members of the United Grand Lodge of England towards her Koyal Highness and nei illustrious Consort , their Grand Master , and that this gift be accompanied by an adJre- > of congratulation . on the auspicious occasion ,