Untitled Article

July was , £ 835 . 14 s * 6 d »; since received , £ 427 . 7 s . 8 d . ; disbursements , £ 40 ; leaving a balance of £ 1 , 222 . 2 s . 2 d . The Eund for General Purposes showed a balance in the hands of the Grand Treasurer , of £ 2 , 943 . 8 s . 4 d ; and that the sum of £ 1 , 000 voted had been paid to

the Royal Patriotic Fund ; the sum of , £ 500 had been invested in 3 per cent . Beduced Annuities ; and a further sum of j £ 500 was also ordered to be so invested , leaving the total amount of the Fund , ^ 7 , 500 . Bro . Hervey , in moving that the report be received and confirmed , assured the Brethren that the conclusions the Board had arrived at were such only as their investigation honestly recommended . Tavern business had , since the institution of club-houses , greatly deteriorated , and the former rent was undoubtedly excessive .

Bro . Bawson , Prov . G . M . for China , seconded Bro . Hervey * s motion . Bro . Dr . Bowe suggested that some consideration and commiseration ought to be shown to Bros . Watson , Coggin , and Banks ; but the G . L * did not seem disposed to listen to the hint . Bro . Masson informed the Brethren that Bro . Cuff had the premises first at a rent of £ 400 , which was afterwards increased to £ 500 , and that tavern-keeping was then in its palmv state , and there was not one of those clubs that are now so

numerous . After some remarks by other members , the report was unanimously con * firmed . Bro . John Savage then , pursuant to notice , moved , "That in the opinion of this Grand Lodge , an alteration be made in the mode of election of the Board of General Purposes and the Board of Benevolence , and that it be by a show of hands . ,, Bro . Savage said , that what he proposed was returning to the old mode of election , as it could not be denied that the present practice was discreditable

to the Craft . The practice of sending lists of a party selected had been condemned by the Grand Beg . at the last G . L ., but the most reprehensible part of the business was , that three or four individuals were enabled to obtain a sufficient number of lists , which they prepared in readiness to exchange for the list of the votes ; and the result was , that this small party were always enabled to carry the election . The motion was seconded by Bro . Dr . Hinxman . Bro . Hervey could not say the present system was good , but urged its continuance , as the election by show of hands would occupy one entire night .

±$ ro . Joseph Smith ( J \ o . 109 ) , insisted that a change was necessary , and proceeded in a humorous way to illustrate the young and provincial Masons being so blandly received on their entrance in the ante-room on the election night by a Brother , clad in purple and gold , whose fascinating powers were put in force , to introduce the list ready scratched ; of course there was no resistance . Bro . Smith should have here stopped , but being called on to name the G . O ., he very needlessly did name Bro . Patten , on which the latter rose , and said Bro . Smith had uttered a gross falsehood ; hereupon there was considerable excitement , when

Bro . Bev . J . E . Cox , G . Chap ., rose and appealed to the Brethren to put a stop to personalities ; he called attention to the presence of three Brethren , visitors from the G . L . of Massachusetts ; what must they think of the practices of the G . L . of England ? The G . M . called on the Brethren to withdraw offensive applications . Bro . J . N . Tomkins , J . G . D ., in denouncing the practice of prepared lists being

put into the hands of the members of G . L ., said that it was so notorious , that a person said on one occasion he had so marked eighty lists , and he thought the proposal of Bro . Savage was deserving of serious consideration . Bro . H . Lloyd , S . G . D ., entered into a calculation of the time that he thought would be consumed were Bro . Savage ' s plan adopted , and therefore opposed it .

Bro . Dr . Hinxman pertinently remarked , that the question of time ought not to be considered ; the great object to be obtained was purity of election , which evidently was not now effected . Bro . Warren ( No . 202 ) , said , that although ho entirely agreed with Bro . Savage , VOX . I . 4 < M