District Grand Lodge Of Bengal.

DISTRICT GRAND LODGE OF BENGAL .

Thc Quarterly Communication of the District Grand Lodge of Bengal was held at the Freemasons' Hall , Calcutta , on Wednesday , 27 th December , 1871 . Present R . W . Bros . Hugh David Sandeman , District

G . M ., and W . J . Judge , as Dep . Dist . G . M . ; W . Bros . J . R . Roberts , P . D . D . G . M . ; F . Perwell , as D . S . G . W . ; W . B . Fan * , D . J . G . W . ; D . T . Zemin , D . G . R . ; Capt . W . G . Murray , D . G . Sec . ; I . L . Taylor , D . S . G . D . ; W . G . Amos , as D . G . J . D . ; W . O . Allcndcr , D . G ,

D . C . ; W . E . Jellicoc , as D . G . A . D . C . ; W . B . Mactavish , as D . G . S . B ; C . Compton , D . G . O . ; R . Harvey , as D . G . P . ; W . Ii . Macgowan and T . Carritt , D . G . Stewards ; Bro . G . Alexander , D . G . Tyler . ; thc W . M . ' s and Wardens of the various lodges , and several visiting brethren .

The minutes of thc previous Ouarterl ) Communication wcre confirmed .

The R . W . D . G . M . then addressed thc brethren as follows : W . Brethren , I am glad again to bc able to give a very satisfactory report of the progress of Freemasonry in thc Province . Our lodges arc

all working well , and I hope soon to be able to announce the opening of a new lodge at Roorkce under the auspices of Bro . Capt . R . G . Birch and other Masons , who have selected for it the name of thc Beauchamp

Lodge . We have just passed thc time when the annual election of rulers takes place . From all that I hear in Calcutta and from the provinces , the selections have been generally well made , and are such as to

induce a belief that thc coming year will be one of prosperity and progress to the Craft . I trust that in all cases the members of lodges will rally firmly round their new Masters , and thus show their own fitness to

rule in their turn , by a cheerful obedience to the Masters of their own nomination . Thc usual reports of Committees will be submitted to you during the evening . Thc suggestions of the Finance Committee

appear to be sound , and their recommendation that our Hall shall not be let out for meetings of lodges working under other Constitutions is one that I hope will be adopted . Any opposite course miglit prove to bc in

time exceedingly inconvenient , and I think it will be found to he most conducive to the foreign loelges themselves , as well as to our mvii body , that our meetings should not bc held in the same place . The report of thc

Sub-Conimittcc ofthe Fund of Benevolence again shows our inability to meet all applications for relief , owing to a want of funds . This eif course is to be regretted , but it is unavoidable , and would be equally , so I fear ,

even had we a much larger amount oi " money at our disposal for the purposes of charity . I adhere to tlie opinion which I expressed on a former occa-ion , that the names oi " persons relieved should be given

in the reports of tne Committee of this Fund , as is done in England . To move the adoption of a report relating to grants of money , without the means of finding whether we approve of the details , seems to

me to be , at least , a vole in tlie dark ; but I have no desire to press my views on this point , believing that they are not concurred in by m my influential members of District Granel Lodge , w ' ao think it unadvisablc to

parade , as it wcre , thc reci pients of our small bounty by a publication of their names . The report ofthe Bengal Masonic Association shows , I am grieveel to find , a falling

cifl m subscriptions , and I woultl -wish to invite tile attention of Masters of lodges to this excellent charity . Since the date of the report , I learn that a handsome donation of

District Grand Lodge Of Bengal.

500 rupees has been received from thc proceeds of a fancy fair held by Freemasons at Mussoorie for the benefit of the Association , a praiseworthy example which might bc followed advantageously by others . I

would invite the special attention of Masters of lodges to a circular lately received from the Grand Secretary in London , calling attention to a previous circular issued in 1859 , on thc subject of spurious lodges , and

to the penalties imposed by Grand Lodge upon any lodges under their jurisdiction which may give a Masonic reception to any brethren connected with such spurious and illegal bodies . I would wish again to notice

thc existence in Calcutta of a Masonic publication styled thc "Masonic Herald , " edited by Bro . Burroughs . The publication does not receive that amount of support which one mi ght rcasonaly expect in a large

district like Bengal , and I would be glad to sec it patronized to a greater extent . Thc report of thc Committee of General

Purposes was read and adopted , and thc report of thc Sub-Committee of the Fund of Benevolence was ordered to stand over till the next Quarterly Communication .

Thc D . G . Secretary read thc following report from thc Bengal Masonic Association : — " At a General Meeting of Subscribers to the Bengal Masonic Association held in pursuance

ofthe provisions ofthe 10 th By-Law * at thc Freemasons' Hall , No . 55 , Bentinck-street , on Wednesday , the 6 th December , 1 S 71 , at four o ' clock in the afternoon , Hugh 1 ") . Sandeman , Ksei ., in the chair .

1 . ihe proceedings of the General Meeting held on the 7 th of July last were read and confirmed . " 2 . The accounts from the ist July , 1 S 71 , to the 30 th November , 1871 , showing a balance of

Rupees 14 , 500 in Government securities , and Rs . 2 S 45-4-1 in cash , were examined and passed . " 3 . The' President laid on the table an abstract ofthe cash transactions ofthe Association during the past half-year , with balance-sheet .

showing a sum of Rs . 1332-11-10 available for expenditure during the year ending 30 th November 1 S 72 . ' * ' 4 . The President in addressing the meeting noticed that the amount of invested cauit ; il

belonging to the Association was Rs . 14 , 500 , in 4 percent , paper , in addition to which iheyheld a cash balance of Rs . 28 45-4-1 . The donations received during the year amounted to Rs . 3111 . Me regretted to report a falling off in the amount

of subscriptions as compared with those ol" the previous year , Rs . 912 having been receiveel in 1 H 70 , ami Rs . CSS only during 1871 , the result being that whereas at the close of 1870 a sum of Rs . 1 . 3 * 57-7-8 was available for expenditure

eluring 1871 , ( here was now a sum of" Rs . 1332-II-IO only available for expenditure in 1172 . Three children were now receiving the benefits of tlie fund . The cost of their education had

been eluring the twelve months just lapsed a little over Rs . IJOO , or say Rs . ^ 00 for each child , and it was now for the meeting to decide whether it would be safe to admit a fourth child to the benefits of the Association .

' ¦ 5 . Read applications lor admission lo the benefits of the Association , oi" the following children : -Kathleen Williamson Hoff , aged 13 years ; luliet * Margery Williamson Hoff , aged 8

years . After some discussion it was determined to postpone the question of admitting another child to ihe benefits of the fund till the

halfyearly meeting in June next . " 6 . An unanimous vote of thanks was accorded to the Hon . Secretary for his valuable services to the Association .

" 7 . After the usual vote of thanks to the Chair , the meeting separated . "W . B . FAKK , H von SAXIIKMAN ,

Secretary . President . " The DistrictGrand . Master then appointed the ofiicer :- ; ofthe District Grand Lodge for the year 1872 . He took the opportunity of

District Grand Lodge Of Bengal.

thanking the officers of thc past year for their general services , and for the support which they had given him during their tenure of office , and further expressed a hope that he mig ht continue to receive thc benefit of their future advice and counsel .

He thought it advisable , as m previous years , to bestow some rewards upon deserving Masons in thc Mofussil , who frequently had great difficulties to contend with in their endeavours to promote the interests of the

Order , ancl who , by holding office in Grand Lodge , would necessarily be led to take a still deeper interest in matters connected with thc Craft , and he had endeavoured , to the best of his ability , to apportion thc

remainder of the appointments fairly among thc town lodges , selecting brethren whose real worth and personal merit he believed to be acknowledged and respected by their fellows .

Thc District Grand Lodge was then anannounced to bc composed as follows : — John Pitt Kennedy , P . M . 109 ... Dep . G . M . W . B . Farr . P . M .. 4 86 e \ : 825 ... S . G . W . I . I , Taylor , P . M . 392 & U 74 ... J . G . W .

Rev . F . W . Roljberd . s , z *> .-- / ., 10 9 , 1106 G . Chaplain . Demetrius J . Zemin , P . M . 229 ... G . Reg . Capt . W . G . Murray , P . M . 109 & 639 G . Sec .

W . O . Allender , P . M . 67 & 232 ... S . G . D . Capt . M . Clementi , P . M . 1066 ... l . G . D . J . P . H . AValker , C . E ., P . M . 1 ic 6 G . S . W . G . T- Scott , P . M . 218 ... ... G . D . C . J . H . Clarke , W . M . 6 59 , P . M . 301 Asst . G . D . C .

S . Delpratt , M . D ., P . M . 1352 ... G . S . B . C . 11 . Compton , 218 ... ... G . Org . Andrew Forsyth , P . M . 1210 ... G . Purst . R . C . Sterndale . T-W- 109 I . Blackburn , J . . 218 T . A . Ferris . M . D ., P . S . W . 21 S ,. ,. , . % i I .- on- „ ,, - 1 11 . stewards . A . Lc franc , b . W . 229 P . Melville , P . J . W . 218 AV . Hay , P . J . AV . 825

Geo . Alexander ... ... G . Tyler . AV . Bro . J . 1 * 1 . Linton was unanimously reelected District Grand Treasurer ; and Bro . Amos was * reappointed Custodian of the Hall for the ensuing year .

A letter from the District Grand Secretary of the Punjab was read , forwarding a cheque for Rs . 150 , the donation voted by the Punjab District Grand Lodge at their

Communication of the 23 rd October , 1871 , to the Masonic Fund of Benevolence in this district ; and a vote of thanks to the District ( irand Loelge of thc Punjab was carried with acclamation .

A collection was then made for the Fund of Benevolence , and thc amount announced to be Rs . 1 So . There being no further business to be brought forward , the District Grand Lodge was closed in due form .

Prov. Grand Lodge Of Devon.

PROV . GRAND LODGE OF DEVON .

A special meeting of thc Provincial Grand Lodge of Devonshire will be held at thc Huyshe Masonic Hall , Princess-street , Princess-square , Plymouth , on Thursday ncxt , 22 nd instant , at one o ' clock p . m ., for

the purpose of presenting a congratulatory address to her Majesty thc Oueen and the Prince and Princess of Wales , on the happy recovery of his Royal Highness from his late severe ancl dangerous illness .

At this meeting will be taken into consideration the following proposition to bc submitted by the P . D . Prov . G . M ., Bro . VV . Denis Moore : — " That thc Province of Devon avail itself of the occasion of the

restoration of the Exeter Cathedral to record tbe happy restoration to health of H . R . H . the Prince of Wales by presenting to the Cathedral a window , designed to commemorate that auspicious event . "