The Masonic Mirror.

THE MASONIC MIRROR .

MASOXIC MEMS . OUR noblo brother , his grace the Duke of Newcastle , has just beenappointed Prov . Grand Master for Nottinghamshire , succeeding Bro . Col . AVitduian , of Neivstead Abbey , who died on the 20 th of September , 1850 . His grace was initiated in the Apollo Lodge , No . 160 ( at that time No . 711 ) , Oxford , on March 12 th , 1832 , and took his Master

Mason ' s degree on the 30 th May , in the same year . The province only contains five Lodges . THE R . W . Bro . Charles Purton Cooper , Q . C ., has resigned the office of Prov . Grand Master for Kent , in consequence of indisposition . Tho special Prov . Grand Lodge , summoned for the 2 Sth ult ., was consequently postponed . The province has been placed under the charge of the Grand Registrar .

GRAND LODGE . BUSINESS to he transacted on AVednesday , 6 th Juue , I 860 : — Nomination of four scrutineers . Election of members for the Board of General Purposes . Election of members for the Colonial Board . Election of members to be on the Committee of Management for the

Royal Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and their "Widows . The minutes of the quarterly communication of 7 th March , and ofthe grand festival of 25 th April , for confirmation . Pursuant to notices given at the Grand Lodge on the 25 th April , the M . AV . Grand Master will move— "That the thanks of the Grand Lodge , together with an appropriate jeivelbe given to the AV . Bro . Richard AA .

, Jennings , Past G . Dir . of Cers ., in recognition of the valuable services rendered by him during the last tivcuty-five years . " Also , " That Bro . Joseph Smith , late G . Purs ,, shall take rank and wear the clothing of a Past G . Purs . " The report of the Board of Benevolence for the last quarter .

THE ltEI'ORT 01 ' ' THK BOARD Ol ' ' GENERAL I'URBOSES . To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England . The Board of General Purposes beg to report that they have received and adjudicated upon a complaint preferred by the Lodge of Benevolence against the Sfc . George ' s Lodge , No . 624 , at North Shields , for having certified to the petition of the widow of a deceased brotherthat he had

, been a regular contributing member of the Lodge for the space of six and a half years , whereas the Grand Lodge clues for that brother had been paid , for only four and a half years . Tho Board being satisfied upon investigation that the circumstance had occurred through an unintentional error oh the part of the Secretary , ordered the arrears to be paid , aud admonished the Lodge to be more careful for the future .

( Signed ) Jonx HA visas , President . The Board beg further to report , that , at a meeting of the Board held on Tuesday , the loth instant , it was unanimously resolved— "That the Board cannot separate Avithout recording their most cordial thanks to their President the AA . Bro . John Havers , P . G . D ., for his regular and punctual attendance at every meeting , for his unremitting attention to tho business , and earnest desire to facilitate the labour of the Board , and for the courtesy and fraternal kindness which member of the

every Board has received at his hands ., ( Signed ) C . Loc'OcK AYEBB , Vice-President . Freemasons' Hall , May list , I 860 . " The Board subjoin a statement of the Cash Account . Tho Grand Lodge Accounts at the hist meeting of the Finance Committee which was held on the llth instantshoiv a balance ill the hands

, of the Grand Treasurer , of 42155 16 s . Id ,., and in the hands of the Grand Secretary for petty cash , £ 50 . Of these sums there belongs to the Fund of Benevolence , £ 558 8 s . 10 V . ; to the Fund of General Purposes , . £ 1395 5 s . lid . ; and there is in the unappropriated account . 6552 Is . 10 U , a portion of AA'hich belongs to the Grand Chapter .

REPORT Ol' THE ' COLONIAL BOARD . To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Pree and Accepted Masons of England . The Colonial Board beg to report thafc since the last meeting of Grand Lodge a communication has been received from the li . AV . Bro . Daniel Hart , Prov . G . M . for Trinidad , and within whose province the Island of St . Thomas is now included , reporting the particulars of his proceedings with regard to the unhappy differences amongst tho brethren of the

Harmonic Lodge , No . 158 , St . Thomas ' s , which differences Bro . Hart had been directed by the M . AV . Grand Master to proceed to St . Thomas ' s to inquire into and report upon ; and ivith his report were fonvarded certified copies of the minutes of the said Lodge aud various other documents . The R . AV . Bro . Hart appear * to have devoted very many clays

of labour to the investigation of the charges and countercharges and complaints brought and made against each other by divers of the brethren ; meetings of the Lodge being held from day to day under his presidency , aud great credit is due to him for his zeal aud ability . Ultimately , afc a meeting of the Lodge , held on the 24 th day of January , I 860 , the AA orshipful Master and Brethren , then assembled , unanimously passed the following resolution , which , having been duly entered ou the minutes , was at the next meeting of the Lodge unanimously confirmed , that is to

say , "Thafc the members of this Lodge do agree to conform to aud explicitly submit to any sentence or airard which the R . AA * . Prov . G . M . Bro . Daniel Hart may deem proper to inflict or pronounce for the good of the Lodge , and the protection of the bulwarks of our Order . " Bro . Hart states that he explained to the brethren that his mission was solely to inquire and report , with such suggestions as might appear to him to be necessary , andj . tb . at he was unwilling to depart from those instructions ; bufc the brethren , with one voice , declared their readiness

and desire that he should acquiesce . Bro . Hart adds that he felt great delicacy in accepting such power , but did so to prevent the working of the Lodge being suspended , and because he saiv an anxious feeling prevailing amongst the members to have at once their differences settled and peace and . harmony restored . Iu entering on his duties as arbitrator , Bro . Hart appears to have considered that the above voluntary and formal submissiou gave him plenary authority in the matter and extended his powers beyond those of a Provincial Grand Master . Under this impression , after having severely admonished and reprimanded in open Lodge tbe AVorshipful Master and

Past Master of the Lodge respectively , and having inflicted pecuniary fines of divers amounts on several of the members , all of which fines were duly paid and carried to the credit ofthe Charity Fund of the said Lodge , he sentenced three of the brethren then present , and who had all been present when the above unanimous resolution was carried , and also when it ivas confirmed , and who are stated to have all pleaded guilty , to suspension from their Masonic privileges for terms of tivelve and nine onths respectivelfrom the 26 th day of 1860

m y , January , . The Board submit that the decisions and sentences of the li . ~\ Y . Bro . Hart on the several cases recorded on the minutes of the Lodge and enumerated in papers 1 to 9 accompanying his report , must be considered in the nature , of an aiA-ard based on the above formal and voluntary submissiou to his arbitration , and binding on the brethren , parties to such submission , so far as the said award is in conformity with the vested in Prov . Grand Masters bthe Book of Constitutions .

powers y The Board further beg to report that a letter addressed to the Board and in the nature of a joint appeal has been received from Bros . Lavergne , Moeser , and S . Benjamin , the three brethren sentenced to suspension as above , complaining of the severity of the sentence passed upon them respectively , but making no objection thereto on the ground of Avatit of jurisdiction ou the part of R . AA . Bro . Hart . This appeal is whollinformalnor does it that the preliminary requisites

y , appear prescribed by the Book of Constitutions in cases of appeal have been complied AA-ith . ( Signed ) JOHN LEEAVEI . LI-N EVANS , President . Freemasons' Hall , May 23 rd , I 860 .

THE ANNUAL REPORT 01 ? THE BOATAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION FOB AGED EREEMASONS AND THEIR AVIDOWS , DATED ISTH MAV , I 860 . At the annual general , meeting the following resolutions , on motions duly made and seconded , ivere agreed to , subject to the approval of the Grand Lodge . First . " That in case of the death of any approved candidate before the day of election , all voting papers filled up in his or her behalf may be made available for any other candidate , the governor or subscriber in

whose possession the voting paper may he , shall erase the number of votes placed against the name of such deceased candidate , and add the word ' deceased , ' and the governor or subscriber shall attach his or her signature to such alteration . " Second . "To alter Law 11 , p . 7 , by omitting tho words _ ' from time to time , ' and substituting in their place ' at its meeting in March in each year , or at a , special adjournment of that meeting . '" A letter from the AA ' arden at the Asylum for Aged Freemasons at Croydon , thanking the Grand Lodge for the grant of . £ 50 to supply the inmates ivith coals .

NOTICES Ol' MOTION . By AV . Bro . J . RANKIN STEBBINU , AV . M ., No . 1 , 087 : — " That the Board of General Purposes be instructed to take into consideration tho desirability of amending See . 1 , p . 29 , Book of Constitutions , so that whenever the office of Grand Master shall , from any cause , hereafter become vacant , other than by the annual expiration of office us respects the present M , AA . and distinguished Grand Master , no future candidate for that high position shall be eligible for re-election beyond three sucin the of prince of royal bloodthe

cessive years , excepting case a , restriction then to apply to the Pro-Grand Master . " By AV . Bro . HENRY G , AVARREN , AV . M ., Grand Stewards' Lodge : — "That the proposed rule of the Royal Benevolent Institution— ' 1 st . That in case of the death of any approved candidate before the day of election all voting papers filled up in his or her behalf may be made available for any otber candidate , the governor or subscriber in whose possession the voting paper may be , shall erase the number of votes placed against the name of such deceased candidate , and add the word