Masonic Intelligence.

the families of the soldiers , sailors , and marines , engaged in the service of their country , and seeing with satisfaction , the sympathy evinced in every part of the country in support of that fund , the proper application of which hat ! been guaranteed by a Royal Commission , the Grand Lodge of Freemasons of England desire not to be behind their fellow subjects in the expression of their sympathy } and , therefore , order that one thousand guineas be paid to such Commission , out of the fund for general purposes —( Loud Cheers ) . He had made inquiries into tlie state of their fundsand

, though it behoved them to be cautious in their disposal , he felt assured they could afford to make the vote without detriment to the objects for which that fund was established —( Cheers ) . He only regretted that the rules of the Grand Lodge would not allow the vote to be come to at once . That , however , could not be the case , and he regretted it the less , because , when it becameknown through that great organ , the public press , that a thousand guineas was to be voted to the Patriotic Fund , from the Grand Lodof Englandit would have a great moral weihtand it would be a matter of little

ge , g , consequence , whether the money was paid at once , or six months hence —( Hear hear ) . He trusted that the proposition would have the unanimous approbation of the Grand Lodge —( Loud cheers ) . Indeed , from the way in which his observations had been received he felt it would be so —( Cheers ) . And if their sentiments were now in favour of the vote , they would not be less so when they next met in Grand Lodge —( Cheers ) . There was another subject to which he wished briefly to allude . Since last he had the pleasure of meeting the brethren in Grand Lod they had been deprived by the

ge , hand of death , of two of their Past Grand Officers . The name of one of those brethren , the late Lord Dudley Stuart , was associated with every act of charity , and every noble and patriotic feeling which could dignify mankind ; and even when he could not himself be present , his heart and feelings were always with the brethren in their works of charity and in good wishes for the welfare of the Order —( Hear , hear ) . Br . Henry Stuart , M . P ., had only recently passed through office in the Grand Loclge , and , though not perhaps so well known as Br . Lord Dudley Stuart , he was alike

distinguished for his charitable disposition and masonic feelings ; and he could not but express the great regret which , in common he was sure with the other brethren felt at the loss they had sustained —( Hear , hear ) . Br . Chas . Purton Cooper , Pl . G . M ., for Kent , could not , in justice to the high position which the M . W . G . M . had been pleased to bestow upon him , sit in his place without giving vent to his feelings in reference to the subjects so ably brought before them by the M . W . G . M . The M . W . G . M . had alluded to the loss which they had sustained

by the death of two most excellent brethren . In doing so , he was sorry to say that the noble Eai-l had only singled out two brethren as specimens and types of others whom they had also lost , and if their names had not also been mentioned , it was only because they were not so well known , though their memory would not be the less honoured and respected . They all knew the merits and tho claims -which the late Br . Lord Dudley Stuart had upon their respect , and he was sure his loss would be deeply mourned by the Masonic body . With Br . Henry Stuart , he was not so well acquainted

as - with Lord Dudley , but he sincerely regretted his loss , as he did also of other brethren , and he hoped it would be long before so melancholy a duty as that of calling attention to losses amongst their ranks , would again have to be performed . The other subject to which the M . W . G . M . had alluded , was one of overwhelming magnitude and importance , and he was sure the Masonic brethren would expect that they should do justice to it . Though there was no precedent for such a vote , he was proud to think , that in 1855 the Grand Lodge of England were about to set an le

examp , which he trusted would be followed by all private Lodges . It was not their duty as Masons to engage in war or to shed blood , but when blood had once been shed—Several brethren here rose and called the attention of the G . M . to the fact , that there was no motion before the chair , and the M . W . G . M . ruled that the discussion could not be proceeded with . In reply to a question , the M . W . M . G . said , that their course with respect to the last Patriotic Fund could form no precedent as regarded their present proceedings that fund not having been raised under the guarantee of a Royal Commission .