United Grand Lodge Of England.

On the motion of Bro . Rom-. RT GREV , seconded by Bro . J AMES BRETT the follosving grants recommended by Board of Benevolence svere confirmed : The svidosv of a brother of the Highgate Lodge , No . 1366 , London ... ... ... ... ... ... ... £$ 0 o o A brother of the Lion and Limb Lodge , No . 192 , London ... 50 o O A brother of the Farringdon AVithout Lodge , No . 1745 ,

London ... ... ... ... ... 75 o 0 A brother of the Lodge of Justice , No . 147 , Deptford ... 50 o 0 A brother of the lodge of Unity and Prudence , late No . 545 , Geelong , Victoria ... ... ... ... ... ... 50 o o A brother of the United Pilgrims Lodge , No . 507 , Southsvark 50 o o A brother of the Salisbury Lodge , No . 435 , London ... ... 50 o o A brother of the Merchant Navy Lodge , No . 7 S 1 , London ... 50 o o The svidosv of a Past Grand Pursuivant ... ... ... 100 o o

And a resolution of a vote of thanks to thc President , Bro . Robert Grey , for the courteous manner in vvhich he has during the past year presided over the meetings of the Board . The following report of the Board of General Purposes vvas taken as read and received , and ordered to be entered on the minutes : To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of

England . The proposition of the Most AA ^ orshipful Grand Master , respecting the appointment of six additional Grand Ofiicers , not having been accepted by Grand Lodge at the last Quarterly Communication , the President of the Board laid a report of the proceedings before the Most AVorshipful Pro Grand Master , and requested his instructions .

The Most AA ' orshipful Pro Grand Master , believing that Grand Lodge must have been acting under some misapprehension , desired the Board to submit the proposition again to Grand Lodge , with some modifications vvhich his lordship believes will be generally acceptable . The proposition vvhich the Board nosv recommend for adoption is as follows :

" That an addition be made to the Grand Officers appointed by the Most Worshipful Grand Master by the appointment of a Deputy Grand Registrar , to rank immediately after the Grand Registrar , two additional Grand Deacons , two additional Assistant Grand Directors of Ceremonies , and a Deputy Grnnd Sword Bearer , and that the same take effect on and after the Grand Festival of 1803 . "

"That in Provinces and Districts numbering 40 lodges and upwards , the Provincial and District Grand Masters shall be empowered to appoint annually two additional Provincial or District Asst . Grand Directors of Ceremonies . In Provinces and Districts numbering 70 lodges and upsvards , thc Provincial and District Grand Masters shall be empowered to appoint two additional Provincial

or District Grand Deacons , and two additional Provincial or District Assistant Grand Directors of Ceremonies . In Provinces and Districts numbering 100 lodges and upsvards , the Provincial and District Grand Masters shall be empowered to appoint a Provincial or District Deputy Grand Registrar to take rank immediately after the Provincial or District Grand Registrar , two

additional Provincial or District Grand Dmcons , two additional Provincial or District Assistant Grand Directors of Ceremonies , and a Provincial or District Deputy Grantl Sword Bearer , and that the Provincial and District Grand Masters be empowered to appoint such additional Provincial or District Grand Officers at tne first meeting for the annual appointment of officers for the several Provincial and District Grand Lodges after the

confirmation of the Minutes of Grand Lodge . " The amount of ^ 25 per annum hitherto granted towards the expenses of the library being found insufficient , the Board recommend Grand Lodge to increase the yearly grant to £ 50 . ( Signed ) THOMAS FF . NN , President . Freemasons' Hall , London , AV . C , 15 th November , 1892 .

To the Report is subjoined a statement of the Grand Lodge accounts at the last meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , the 1 ah day of November instant , shosving a balance in the Bank of England ( AVestern Branch ) of ^ 6862 Ss . gd ., and balance of annual allowance for library £ 17 s . 6 d ., and in the hands of the Grand Secretary for petty cash £ * , ancl for servants' wages / 100 .

Bro . THOMAS FF . NN , President of the Board , then said : M . W . Pro Grand Master , —Before the resolution arising out of the first part of the report is put to Grand Lodge , I beg permission to refer to what took place at the last Quarterly Communication , as there arc many present this evening who vvere not here on that occasion . In thc first place , I feel it my duty to defend my Board from the charge of misrepresentation in their report

made against them by the mover of the amendment . Ihe brother I allude to said " ihe proposition is stated to be made at the recommendation of the Grand Master , but it is really from the Board of General Purposes , and I do not see why wc should be forced to swallow up all the Board of General Purposes recommends . " No one knows better than yourself , M . W . Pro Grand Master , that there svas no foundation for this assertion , and that the

brother vvas not justified in making it , and in such positive terms , as might . lead Grand Lodge to suppose be vvas speaking from his own personal knowledge . The real fact is —as all my Board who are present here can teslify —that the proposal came before them exactly as stated in the report , namely , in Vive form of a letter from your lordship , addressed to me as their President . This svas absolutely the first time

the Board bad heard of it , and believing that the appointment of six additional Grand Officers could not bul g ive general satisfaction , they , without hesitation , agreed to recommend it . Mad the amendment carried at the last Grantl Lodge been put and carried as a substantive motion , there ssould have been only live additional appointments instead of six . Believing that ibis could nut have been the intention of Grand Lodge in supporting the amendment , and seeing lhat the proposed arrangement

for the additional appointments in provinces and districts could not then be carried out , I obtained permission of Grand I . odge to withdraw the motion altogether in order that I might have an opportunity of taking your instructions . Belore that opportunity arrived a meeting of the B inrd took place , and ihe members—most of whom are representative brethren—having , I suppose , in the meantime been interviewed by their constituents , were almost unanimous in saying , on the part of those they represented , that they were not in favour of the proposed appointment of Grand Chancellor . I wish Grand Lodge to know that , on informing you , M . \ A . Pro Grand Master , o

United Grand Lodge Of England.

this expression of opinion on the part of the Board , you , with your ace tomed courtesy and readiness to accommodate your own viesvs to those ^ f Grand Lodge , at once withdrew the designation of Grand Chancellor one _ of tbe proposed appointments . As you are happily present in trf chair this evening , I venture to think it vvould , under all the circumstance ° be more fitting and more agreeable to Grand Lodge that the reso ! uti 0 S ' should be proposed from the chair , and , if I may be permitted , I shall b " pleased to second it , as representing the Board over vvhich I have the honour to preside .

The Earl of LATHOM : Brethren , —let me first express my very deen regret at not being able to be vvith you at the last Quarterly Communication It was quite unavoidable , I could not possibly be here . Allow me to say that I entirely endorse every word that has fallen from Bro . Fenn ' s lips . The idea of increasing ihe number of Grand Officers in Grand Lod ge and in Provincial ancl District Grand Lodges originated vvith myself . "" I laid the

proposition before the M . W . Grand Master . We went through it and discussed it , and it vvas vvith His Royal Highness' consent and approval that I wrote the letter I did to the Board of General Purposes . Brethren , as to the title of Grand Chancellor I vvas not particularly enamoured of it , and I did not care what the name was so long as vve got the officers . I wanted the officers , and I may say , though it is rather egotistical on my Dart rm ,

reason is that in some of the provinces the number of worthy Masons who deserve office is so great that it is impossible to give that proper recognition to those vvho deserve it . In my own Province of AVest Lancashire there are 103 lodges , and as thc offices nosv stand it takes ei ght years to come round to each lodge to select a Provincial Grand Officer . That is rather hard when in some provinces it comes round to every lodge twice in every year .

I do not think that is fair . I also think it is fair play that brethren ought to have a chance of Grand Office in Grand Lodge as well as in the Provinces . ( Applause . ) I have nothing more to say except that I bring forsvard this motion with the full concurrence and approbation of the Grand Master , and I hope Grand Lodge will pass it unanimously . I beg to move the resolution as it stands on the paper . ( Cheers . )

Bro . THOMAS FENN : M . W . Grand Master , I have very great pleasure in seconding it . Bro . W . F . LAMONBY said : I trust I may be permitted totendermy humble support to the resolutions nosv before Grand Lodge , especially that part of them which refers to the creation of a Deput } ' Grand Registrar . As a present member of tbe Colonial Board , and one vvho spent 10 very active

years amidst Australian Masonry , I may be presumed to have some knowledge of the many anxieties , responsibilities , and worries placed upon the shoulders of our able and self-denying Grand Registrar in connection vvith the foundation of Colonial Grand Lodges . There are possibly other Grand Lodges looming in tbe dim , and , perhaps , not very far distant future , and I think the resolution to create a Deputy Grand Registrar is a step in the

right direction , and as it is popularly supposed , there is wisdom in thc multiplicity of counsel , there cannot possibly be two opinions as to the propriety of the appointment of a Deputy Grand Registrar . I have much pleasure , and indeed consider myself highly honoured by being permitted to support these resolutions , and in their entirety . ( Cheers . ) The Earl of MOUNT EnccuMnE , D . G . M ., asked to be allosved to say a

few words . At last Quarterly Communication , owing to the absence of the Earl of Lathom , be was placed unexpectedly in the chair , vvhen be had not had an opportunity of communicating with the Earl of Lathom or thc Grand Master on this subject . Therefore he felt it vvas not in his posver to second Bro . Fenn in support of his proposal . ' He felt that it vvould be most distasteful to his Royal Highness the Grand Master if he were to say one word which might be implied as an attempt to use his Royal Highness ' s

name as a lever to move Grand Lodge an inch against its will . If any words fell from him that night be interpreted as calling on Grand Lodge to swallow anything because it vvas his Royal Highness ' s suggestion it was unintentional , because he felt after an amendment had been moved it vvould be inconvenient—almost unseemly—that the motion should go in a mutilated form ; therefore , although the amendment vvas carried thc amended resolution vvas not put , and Bro . Fenn wns permitted to withdraw the motion . He trusted that in its present form it would receive the unanimous support of Grand Lodge .

Bro . RICHARD EVE , P . G . T ., said . * Some observations had been made concerning himself by the President of the Board of General Purposes , whicii called for a fesv words in reply . The President of thc Board of General Purposes intimated to Grand Lodge that he ( Bro . Eve ) said what vvas untrue in making the statements he did vvhen he described as a proposition of thc Board the proposal that vvas then made . He made at the

last meeting no statement as the President had put it that night . He did not say that the proposition had not emanated from the Grand Master . He said it vvas from a very high source , but he looked upon it as a proposition , and it was nothing else than a proposition of the Board of General Purposes , and as such hc did not like to hear any brother attacked as he had been that night . It vvas right that a brother should oppose a

recommendation even though emanating from the Board ol" General Purposes , even though it vvas on the recommendation of the Grand Master , if he thought it vvas wrong hc ought to oppose it , and express his feeling on it . He did not intend then to oppose thc proposition , but as he was on his feet he wished to knosv hosv tbey were to pass that as a whole , when at last Grand

Lodge it was proposed to pass it in different sections . Bro . Pini . iiRiCK ., Q . C , G . R ., said Hro . F . vc vvas quite mistaken , as there svas no such resolution carried at the last Grand Lodge . Brn . Eves amendment no doubt vvas carried as an amendment , but not as a substantive motion . Bro . Fenn ' s motion to agree wilh the recommendations of thc Board of General Purposes being meanwhile by leave withdrawn .

Bro . F . vi * . said of course Grand Lodge took thc ruling from the wrano Registrar ; hc was an eminent legal authority , far higher than himself ( Bro . F . ve ) , but he might say it vvas a resolution and an amendment of Gran " Lotlge . Notwithstanding the ruling of thc Grand Registrar , he must say it vvas not competent vvhen an amendment vvas actually voted upon to withdraw the lirooosition . ,

liro . Sir J . B . MONCKTON , P . G . W ., said the minutes of the last ( . rami I . odge bad been read and confirmed , and that settled the matter . Bro . Evi * observed that the amendment to the resolution vvas confirmee-He did not wish to stand in the svay of this resolution . Hc vvas nosv quuvvilling to give his support to the resolution . The recommendations werc adopted unanimously . , 1 c ,

Bro . FKNN then proposed , and Bro . POCOCK , M . D ., seconded tne 1 . ^ recommendation in the report , to increase the allowance for Grand Libra . from £ 25 to £ 50 a year , which vvas carried . Grand Lodge vvas then closed in ample form .