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p lans , that they are compelled to present , instead , an uncompleted structure . The sale of the bonds issued by the trustees for the purpose of raising money to prosecute the work on the building , has been limited to a small amount , owing to causes readil y explained , and the

contributions to the fund have been neither large nor frequent ; and , in order to continue the work , the trustees were compelled to borrow money , and thus add a considerable amount to the debt previously reported , and they now appeal to you with confidence for such action

as will tend to strengthen their funds and materially assist them to complete the building at the earliest moment . In December last an appeal was made to the Fraternity throughout the State for aid in behalf of the Fund j but I regret to say that generall y '

the appeal was not met with that spirit of liberality which was hoped for ; in some parts of the jurisdiction , however , the responses were noble and generous . Soon after the close of the last annual communication , brethren representing lodges in the city of New York organised

themselves into an Executive Committee , with the Deputy Grand Master as Chairman , for the purpose of holding a fair for the benefit of the Hall and Asylum Fund . Interesting the ladies in the project , they laboured dilligently for months to complete the necessary arrangements

for holding the festival , which was formally opened on the 13 th of March , and continued for a period of four weeks , resulting in an addition to the fund of nearl y forty thousand dollars . The brethren and their ladies , who were interested in the good work of promoting the

highest and best interests of the Fraternity , deserve richest guerdon for their unwearied exertions in that behalf ; their reward is the conciousness of having aided a praiseworthy object in its greatest time of need . Their example is commended to the Craft everywhere

in the jurisdiction . My thanks are due and are heartily tendered to my associates of the Grand Officers and the District Deputies , for their uniform kindness and strict attention to their official duties . The Grand Secretary has placed me under renewed

obligations for timel y and valuable assistance in the discharge of my duties ^ and our official intercourse enables me to testify from personal knowledge of the value of his services to the Grand Lodge . To my brethren generally throughout the jurisdiction I tender heartfelt thanks for their many acts of kindness and

courtesy . In conclusion , brethren , permit me to remind you that the grave responsibilities which rest , upon us as the representatives of the fraternity and the importance of the interests committed to our hands should make us earnest and faithful

in the discharge of the duties which devolve upon us , to the end that the dignity of the institution may be preserved and its power for good increased . We have united in asking the Divine blessing on our labours—may its influence guide us aright in our intercourse at this

time , that harmony may prevail in our counsels , and integrity of purpose and action be the aim of our endeavours . On motion , the address was referred to a special committee of the three , for the purpose of subdividing its several parts , and referring its various subjects to appropriate committees .

The R . W . James M . Austin , Grand Secretary , presented his report , which , on motion , was received and referred to the Finance Committee .

From it we make the following synopsis : Amount received , 61 , 488 . 51 dols ., as follows : Dues , 59 , 363 dols . ; dispensations and warrants , 1 , 540 dols . ; degrees , 110 dols . ; certificates , & c , 453 dols . ; from other sources , 25 dols . Nine lodges were granted warrants last year , and were numbered from 714 to 722 , and one lodge , Constellation , No . 404 , had its warrant restoretl .

The following lodges were granted dispensations during the year : —Rockland , Nyack , Rockland county ; Ancient , New York city ; Southern Light , Bureport , Chemung county ;

Cautious , Georgetown , Modcna ; Charity and Alma , New York city ; Anchor , College Point , Queens : Sunny side , Castleton , Rensselaer ; lizel , Brooklyn ; Bethel , New York city ; New-Hope , Schenectady , Schenectady ; Veritas and

Grand Lodge Of New York.

Uhland , New York city ; Nepperham , Yonkers , Westchester ; Guttenberg , Albany ; Mizpah , Newton , Queens ; and Radiant , New York city . Six hundred and thirty-five lodges have made returns . There were 5 , 690 initiations and 925 affiliations during the year—total , 6 , 615 .

Dimitted , 1 , 781 ; expelled , 54 ; suspended , 32 ; stricken from the roll for non-payment of dues , 2 , 403 ; restored to membership , 397 ; died , 806 . Total number of Masons in the State , 79 , 079 . Washington Heights Lodge , No . 530 , surrendered its warrant , leaving 66 ^ warranted lodges . Eleven lodges were incorporated during the

year . M . W . John W . Simons , Grand Treasurer , presented his annual report , showing receipts of moneys during the past year amounting to 64 , 886-6 9 dols ., and expenditures of 5 8 , 646 * 8 4 dols , leaving a balance paid over to Hall and

Asylum Fund of 2 , 269-85 dols . On account of the current year , the sum of 28 , 162 ' 12 dols . has been thus far received . R . W . James M . Austin presented the report of the Hall and Asylum Fund , showing receipts during the year , from all sources , to have been

167 , 38672 dols ., all of which has been expended except a balance of i 8 , iot dols . About one-quarter of this amount has been raised from the sale of bonds , and the remainder from private donations , lodge subscriptions , and from the Masonic Fair held a few weeks since , 41 , 005-85

dols . By the personal exertion of the R . W . Jsaac H . Crown , of Puritan Lodge , of this city , since the building of the hall was begun , the sum of 3 , 500 dols . has been collected . For the six lots on which the new temple stands ,

340 , 000 dols . were originally paid , and 479 , 237 dols . have been expended thus far in construction . The indebtedness on the building is 271 , 000 dols ., ' . viz ., 70 , 000 dols in loans from trust companies , and 201 , 000 dols . for bonds sold . The Grand Master then appointed the

standing committees . The time for the election of Grand Officers for the ensuing year was fixed for Thursday , at two o ' clock . M . W . John L . Lewis , in behalf of the Constitutional Convention , presented a copy of the constitution prepared . On motion , a select

committee , consisting of M . W . Past Grand Master Lewis , M . W . James Gibson , and W . M . John W . Simons , was appointed , to which various amendments proposed should be submitted and classified . On motion of R . W . E . E . Thorne , Bros . E . L . Gaul and John Mahon were appointed official reporters of the Grand Lodge .

The Grand Lodge then took a recess until Wednesday morning at nine o ' clock . On Wednesday the Grand Lodge resumed labour , pursuant to adjournment at nine a . m ., the M . W . Christopher G . Fox in the East . An impressive prayer was offered by the R . W . and Rev . Ferdinand C . Ewer , Grand

Chaplain . The report of the committee to whom was referred the Grand Master ' s address , was presented , with the following recommendations and resolutions . So much of the address as referred

to lodges under dispensation , ike , to be referred to the Committee on Warrants . So much as referred to the decease of eminent brethren to a special committee of three . Resolved— "That the sum of 3 , 604 - 17 dols ., received from the Board of Masonic Relief of

the City of Chicago , and the moneys received by reason of an irregularity in John Hancock Lodge , No . 552 , be appropriated to the Hall and Asylum Fund . Resolved— " That a special committee of three be appointed to prepare suitable resolutions

expressive of the appreciation entertained by the Grand Lodge of New York for the generous conduct of the Masons of Chicago in making return to this Grand Lodge of monies heretofore appropriated by the Masons of New York for the relief of the sufferers by the Chicago

lire . Resolved , That the position maintained by the M . W . Grand Master , in reference to granting dispensations to confer the Third Degree within the time prescribed by the Constitution , merits the fullest approval of the Grand Lodge .

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On motion of R . W . Ellwood E . Thorne , the report was received and adopted . The W . John C . Baker , Librarian , presented his report : There are 1 , 200 volumes in the library , 900 of which are bound . The library is very valuable . Referred to appropriate

committee . The R . W . Fred W . Herring , Secretary , presented the report of the Board of Relief , by which it appears that the receipts from various sources were 6 , 168 49 dols . ; that there were 508 applicants for charity , who received 3 , 714 . 36 dols .

the largest amounts being paid to applicants as follows : from England , 4 . 18 . 12 dols . ; Ireland , 423 dols . ; Scotland , 364 dols . ; Holland , 130 dols . ; California , 246 dols . ; Alabama , 155 dols . ; Connecticut , 118 . 30 dols . ; New York city , 1 , 558 . 71 dols . ; New York State , 678 . 80 dols . ;

Pennsylvania , 184 . 38 dols . ; Salaries , & camounted to 704 . 77 dols ., leaving a balance in the treasury of 749-3 6 dols . The R . W . El wood E . Thorne , D . G . M ., presented the report of the Executive Committee of the Masonic Fair , which was opened on the

15 th of March , and closed on the 19 th of April . The receipts were 17 , 078 . 48 dols ., and the expenses 5 , 791 . 73 dols . Net proceeds , 41 , 286 . 72 dols . Paid over to the Grand Secretary , 41 , 005 , 84 dols . Balance on hand , 280 . 91 dols . A supplementary report , handed in from two

lodges , made 4 60 dols . additional . The Grand Lecturer , R . W . George H . Raymond , presented his seventh annual report , in which he highly complimented his senior assistant , R . W . Jsaac H . JBrown , for the manner in which he had exemplified the several degrees in the various lodges by invitation . He found

peace and harmony prevailing throughout the state , and the standard work in general use . The following committees were appointed by the Grand Master : — On the death of distinguished brethren—M . W . Joseph D . Evans , R . W . Seymour , H . Stone , and Sanford J . Thatcher .

On Chicago—R . W . and Rev . John G . Webstei , R . W . Noiinan C . Bnkci , and Edwin M . Holbrook . The Grand Lodge was then called from labour to refreshment . The gavel sounded in the East to resume

labour , at two o clock p . m . The M . W . John L . Lewis , from the Special Committee on amendments to the Constitution reported , apologising for the brevity of said report , as it took himself and colleagues a whole night to examine the large bundle of

amendments submitted , lhe committee , he said , had carefully examined the votes of two hundred and thirty-one lodges , as well as the amendments and found that one hundred and seventyone , in some form , voted in the affirmative , fortysix in the negative , three left the matter to

judgment and discretion of representatives , and one was a tie vote . Out of thoje who voted in the affirmative , eighty-nine proposed amendments , the large majority of which , however , do not present any fundamental principle ; so the committee deemed it their duty to present the

amended Constitution , and leave the Grand Lodge to decide . They recommend , therefore , that the Constitution be adopted in committee of the whole , subject to amendments , as in legislative bodies . The following resolution was appended and adopted : ( To lie continued . )

INSTITUTION OF A NKW ORDER BY THE SIIAII . —We learn through Mr . Reuter ' s agency that since his departure from his native country his Majesty the Shah has instituted a new order called the " Order of the Sun , " which is for ladies only . The recip ients of this order are ,

up to the present , the Queen of England , the Princess of Wales , the Empress of Germany , the Princess Imperial of Germany , and the Cesarevna . The Shah has presented to her Majesty , and also to the Prince of Wales his portrait set in diamonds , which constitutes the hig hest Persian order exi > tent .

The ' ' audience question" in China is now settled . In the I ' ekin Gaiolle of the 14 th there is an Imperial edict which announces that all duly accredited Foreign Ministers will be allowed to have audience of the Emperor .