Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The Committee of this Institution met on Wednesday last at Freemason ' s Hall , Major John Creaton in the chair . The other brethren present were Joseph Smith , James Brett , C . A . Cottebrune , J ohn Constable , Thomas VV . White , Benjamin Head , John G . Stevens , J . Newton ,

H . M . Levy , Wm . Stevens , Thomas Cubitt , Hyde Pullen , J . A . Farnfield , John M . Stedwell , Charles F . Hogard , J . E . Saunders , R . Spencer , Wm . Hilton , H . Massey ( Freemason ) and James Terry ( Secretary ) . Four candidates were placed on the list for election in May ,

three of whom being London brethren presented themselves to the Committee . The sum of ^ 500 was ordered to be transferred < rom " cash at call" to the "general account . " A letter was read from Bro . Bentley Shaw , Deputy Provincial Grand Master of West Yorkshire ,

stating the Marquis of Ripon ' s desire , that his Lordship ' s votes for this institution should be transferred to his mother lodge , "Truth , " 521 , in perpetuity ; but the brethren instantl y declined to comply with it . A letter was also read from Bro . Friedlander , informing Bro .

Terry that the Board of Charity Stewards for the Province of Warwick believed that they could , through the Tylers of the lodges , canvass in the course of every year each brother in the province on behalf of the charities ; and that they made this suggestion to the Committee of

the Benevolent Institution , and proposed that the tylers should be paid a commission of five per cent , for their services . Bro . Terry said he had written in answer that he would bring the matter before the Committee , but that he himself had no power to accept the offer . The

Committee , on the motion of Bro . Joseph Smith , seconded b y Bro . James Brett , refused to entertain the proposal . A letter having been read from Bro . Jones , the clerk in Bro . Terry ' s office , for an increase of salary , Bro . Wm . Stephens gave notice that he would move at be

the next meeting , " That ^ 25 a year added to Bro . Jones ' s salary . " The Chairman stated , that with regard to a brother who was a trustee of a Widows' Fund belonging to the Institution , who having become an annuitant of the Institution , refused to sign a power of attorney to

transfer the stock to new trustees . As the brother still refused he would advise that his annuity be suspended , not only till he should sign the power of attorney , but until the transfer was completed . He would also propose that when this was done , the brother should come before the Committee to be again placed on the list .

Bro . J . Constable , W . M . 185 , said he would move in those terms . Bro . J . A . Farnfield seconded the motion , and said that the brother clearly came within Rule 8 of the Institution , and had rendered himself unfit to be a recipient of the fund . " The motion was carried unanimously , and a vote of thanks having been passed to the Chairman , the brethren separated .

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS .

The General Committee of this institution met on Saturday , the 7 th inst , at Freemason ' s Hall . Bro . Benjamin Head presided . The other brethren present were W . Roebuck , J . G . Chancellor , G . M . E . Snow , A . H . Tattershull , Hyde Pullen , D . M . Dewar , R . Wentworth

Little , H . Massey 'Freemason ) , Thomas W . White , Richard Spencer , John Boyd , H . Collard Moutrie , J . W . Dosell , Jesse Turner , W . H . Saunders , Dwarber , and Frederick Binckes , ( Secretary ) . The minutes of the last Meeting of

the General Committee , and of the House Committee , occupied a considerable time , after which the Chairman was authorized to sign cheques for house accounts , and the Petitions were taken . Three candidates were placed on the list , and one was deferred through

Royal Masonic Institution For Boys.

inability to read . Bro . Tattershull brought forward a motion that the proxies shall in all cases be sent to the parties to whom they belong , that is to the subscribers and Governors whose names are registered in the office books , unless the owner of a proxy or

proxies should , authorise the Secretary to deal with them , and in the case of such authority being given , it must be renewed previous to every election . " The brethren , however , would not entertain it , and Bro . ^ Tattershull gave notice that he should bring it forward at next meeting .

Bro . Binckes read a letter from the Marquis of Ripon , desiring that under certain conditions , his proxies might be transferred in perpetuity to the Lodge of Truth . Bro . Binckes explained that no harm would be done by this transfer ,

and that the Lodge would have the power of voting to half the present value of the proxies . The Committee refused to entertain the proposition for a moment , and a vote of thanks to the Chairman brought the proceedings to a close .

Funeral Of The Late Bro. George Rigby Smith.

FUNERAL OF THE LATE BRO . GEORGE RIGBY SMITH .

The remains of the late Bro . George Rigby Smith , formerly S . W . of the Harmonic Lodge , No . 216 , Liverpool , whose death we referred to last week , were consigned to their last resting place at Anfleld Cemetery on Wednesday , the 4 th inst . The attendance of Masonic brethren and leading

men in Liverpool , showed how highly the deceased was esteemed . The funeral cortege left the late residence of deceased , Merton-road , Bootle , at ten o ' clock , and arrived at the cemetery about half-past . The chief mourners were Mr . Alderman Rigby , Major W . Rigby ; Messrs . S . HawW . Pilkinglon

, , Thomas Blezard , John Gibbon , Thomas Tunstall , G . Crippin , and John Hickson . The private carriage of his worship the mayor ( Mr . Alderman Walker ) , was in the cortege , and in Mr . Alderman Rigby's private carriage were the Rev . Dr . C . R . Hyde ( Incumbent of St . Matthew ' s

Church , Scotland-road ) and Dr . Fitzpatrick . Several private carriages followed the hearse , and about 250 gentlemen attended at the grave to pay their last tribute of respect to the deceased . Among those present were the following brethren of the Harmonic Lodge of Freemasons , in which the

deceased held the position of S . W . : —Bros . G . Fowler Ismay , Moore , Beasley , Jones , Armistead , M'Kune ^ Laidlaw , Dwerryhouse , Davis , Holt , Henshaw , Cain , Busfield , Harding , Parrington , J . Gibbon , Isaac Nicholson , and Conley . The Licensed Victuallers'Association was represented by the

following members : Messrs . H . Danson , J . Sykes , J . Allinson , J . Atkinson , Richard Lumb , W . Coward , Fozzard , Cooper , J . Podmore , W . Coates , Mills E . Scphton , and Captain Berry ( secretary ) . Amongst other gentlemen present were—Mr . J . Lister , J . P . Alderman Carey , Dr . Kisch , Messrs . James

Thomson , J . F . Crossman , H . Greenwood , A . Strother , J . Bateman , Thomas Nuttall , Joliffe , R . D . Nuttall E . Nuttall , H . Lyon , R . F . Naylor , E . Grindley , ' Thomas Hamson , William Harbridge , Wood , H . Nelson , R . Cain , Jun ., Thomas Heyes , Taafe , H . Willis , John Clarke , John Ennis , Arthur Woods , Purvis Woodruff

J . , J . , Jun ., W . Bennett , Robert Price , J . Snowdon , Thomas Haughton , Thomas Gillow , Horsfall , Home , and others . The funeral service was read in the most impressive manner by the Rev . Dr . Hyde , and Alderman Rigby placed a wreath of immortelles upon the coffin before it was lowered into the grave .

PRESENTATION TO W . BRO . JOHN CONSTABLE , W . M . ( 185 ) , LONDON . —In consequence of the valuable assistance rendered by Bro . Constable W . M . ( 185 ) , to Bro . Hughan , P . S . G . D . of England ! & c ., andinsecuring theelection of E . S . Treleaven at the late voting of the Royal Masonic Institution for

Girls , the Lodge of Fortitude ( 131 ) , Truro , of which Bro . Hughan is a P . M ., and to which the father ( deceased ) of the little girl formerly belonged , has presented our W . Bro . Constable with a handsomely illuminated vote of thanks on vellum . A resolution agreeing to this special and most agreeable mode of recognising Bro . Constable's services

was carried at the regular meeting held on the 13 th October , and the document was entrusted to Bro . W . Lake , P . M . ( 131 ) to prepare , whose ability in this respect has been often demonstrated in the past . The letter acknowledging its receipt by Bro . Constable was read at the lodge meeting on last Tuesday , the 10 th inst ., amidst the plaudits of the brethren .

Scotland.

Scotland .

—o—GRAND LODGE OF SCOTLAND . A quarterly communication of the Grand Lodsre of Scotland was held on Monday , the 2 nd

inst ., in Freemason ' s Hall , Edinburgh . Sir Michael R . Shaw Stewart , Bart ., R . W . G . M ., occupied the throne , and there were also present Mr . W . Mann , P . G . W ., Acting Sen . G . W . ;

Major Hamilton Ramsay , of Garion , J . G . W . ; Rev . Dr . Gray , G . C . ; Colonel W . M . Neilson , of Queenshill , Prov . G . M . of Glasgow city ; Captain G . R . Harriott , of Killiemore , Prov . G . M . of Wigtownshire ; Mr . John Laurie , G . S . ; Mr . F . A . Barrow , Sen . G . D . ; Mr . D . Kinnear , Jun .

G . D . ; Mr . A . Hay , Grand Jeweller ; Mr . J . Coghill , Grand Director of Ceremonies ; Mr . F . S . Melville , President of Board of Grand Stewards ; Capt . G . F . R . Colt , ofGartsherrie , Grand Sword Bearer ; Mr . M . Mackenzie , Chief Grand Marshal . Grand Lodge having been opened in due

form , the Grand Secretary read apologies from the Earl of Rosslyn , P . G . M . ; Captain J . T . Oswald , of Dunnikier , S . G . M . ; the Earl of Kellie , Sen . G . W . ; Mr . A . Smollett , of Bonhill , Prov . G . M . of Dumbartonshire ; Dr . Beveridge , Prov . G . M . of Aberdeen city ; Capt . C . Hunter ,

Prov . G . M . of Aberdeenshire East ; Mr . Lauderdale Maitland , of J <" . ccles , Prov . G . M . of Dumfriesshire ; Mr . W . Hay , Jun . G D . ; and Mr . W Officer , P . G . D . The minutes of last quarterly communication of Grand Lodge , as also of the meetings of Grand Committee since held , having

been read , Mr . Mann proposed a vote of thanks to the Grand Stewards for the admirable manner in which the arrangements for the recent Funeral Lodge were carried out . The motion was carried by acclamation , and Mr . F . S . Melville acknowledged the compliment , taking

occasion to say that most of the credit was due to Mr . Laurie , the Grand Secretary . There were then read the replies to letters of condolence which had been sent to Lady Christian Maule and Lady James Murray in refereuce to the demise of Lord Dalhousie and Lord James C .

Plantagenet Murray respectively ; as also a minute of condolence with respect to the removal of Lord Dalhousie from the Grand Lodge of England . The Grand Master called attention to the decease of R . W . Brother Somerville , of Ampherlaw , M . D ., representative from

the Grand Lodge of Ireland ; and in this connection there was read a letter from Lord Rosslyn . alluding in feeling terms to the recent removal of so many esteemed members of the craft . The Grand Secretary reported , with an expression of regret on the part of the Grand

Committee , the decease of R . W . Brother John A . Trench , Pro . G . M . for Trinidad . There was read a communication from the Grand Lodge of Ireland , intimating the demise of the Duke of Leinster , who for the unprecedented period of tixty-one years had ruled over the brotherhood

in the sister island . The Grand Master , in proposing that an address of condolence be sent to the Grand Lodge of Irelend , remarked that not only as a Mason , but as a landlord , as the father of a family , and , indeed , in all the relations of life , the late Duke was singularly

entitled to respect . The motion was cordially adopted . On the motion of Colonel Neilson , seconded by Mr . Barrow , Sir Michael R . Shaw-Stewart was unanimously re-elected to the office of Grand Master of the Scottish craft . Sir

Michael thanked the brethren for this renewed expression of confidence , and intimated that he had appointed the Earl of Kellie asR . W . G . D . M ., a step which seemed to meet with general approbation . The following office-bearers were then successively nominated for the ensuing

year : — Past Grand Master , the Earl of Rosslyn ; Substitute Grand Master , Captain J . T . Oswald of Dunnikier ; Senior Grand Warden , Major

Hamilton Ramsay of Garion ; Junior Grand Warden , Lord Rosehill ; Grand Treasurer , Samuel Hay ( Union Bank ); Grand Secretary , John Laurie ; Joint Grand Chaplains , The Rev . W . H . Gray , D . D .. and Rev . A . Thomson