The Lancashire Distress.

THE LANCASHIRE DISTRESS .

LONDON , SATURDAY , DECEMBER 0 , 1 S 62 .

At the Grand Lodge meeting on "Wednesday last , £ 1000 Avas voted from the Fund of General Purposes , in aid of the funds now raising to relieve the distress which has overtaken so many thousand of the sons and daughters of toil in . the manufacturing districts , owing to the fratricidal war raging amongst

our cousins in America , and Avhich has , by unduly enhancing the price of the raw material , put an end , as it were , to the great staple of industry in Lancashire and Cheshire—the cotton trade . How long the distress may continue it is impossible to say ,

and there can he no doubt of its being the bounden duty of every man who is more happily situated to do all in his power to alleA'iate it . The speech of the Eight Worshipful Deputy Grand Master , the Earl de Grey and Eipon , in proposing the vote , was

marked by great discretion and good taste . He spoke with warm admiration , which must be shared by all , of the noble fortitude with ivhich the operatives of Lancashire have submitted to the calamity which has oi'ertaken them ; of the generous efforts which are

being made throughout the breadth and length of the land to assist them , and of the manner in which the men of property , in Lancashire , have come forward to aid . their felloAV men , adding , hoivever , that even if they had not- done so , it would be no argument

because others had not done their duty why we should not do ours . The speech was listened to with marked attention , and met with the hearty approbation of the brethren . "We Ai'ish we could have added that the resolution had passed unanimously , but Ave cannot , Bro . Gregory having raised a question as to the legality

of using money raised by the Grand Lodge of Ereemasons for other than Masonic purposes , and pointing out that the distress in Lancashire might at no distant day bring some heavy and pressing claims upon our funds , the legitimacy of which we could not

, and , ive are sure , should never Avish to dispute . As to the legality of our using a General Purposes Fund as Grand Lodge sees best , Ave think there can be no doubt ; but that , as a rule , it should be kept sacred for Masonic purposes , Ave perfectly agree with Bro .

Gregory . But , if there be " no rule Avithout an exception , " this surely is the exception . "We will say nothing of other grants Avhich have gone before it ( believing that there are few acts , good or bad , for which precedents may not be found ) when thousands of our felloAV

creatures are in dire want from no fault of their oivn , and the dread Avinter is at the door . Such was the view , we are happy to say , taken by Grand Lodgethe members remembering that " a Mason ' s charity should know no bounds save tbose of prudence . "

The Lancashire Distress.

The vote having passed , came a grave questioncould the money be given at once , or must we wait three months , in order to obtain the confirmation of the resolution ? Such is the law ; but Bro . Tomkins , the Grand Treasurer , at once volunteered to advance the money , relying on Grand Lodge hereafter to

confirm the vote ; and the applause Avith which his proposition was received was such as is seldom heard in Grand Lodge , and which , we are sure , must have been as gratifying to our worthy brother as Avas the offer which called it forth to the brethren .

The Grand Lodge Property.

THE GRAND LODGE PROPERTY .

The reign of the Board of General Purposes over the destinies of the Grand Lodge property has ceased , its management having been entrusted to a Committee , which , from being numerically small , is more likely to arrive at a decision upon the subjects submitted to it , and will be more amenable to the

opinions of the brethren , should it not show a greater degree of activity than its predecessor . One advantage this Committee will have at starting . Several of its members are so fully acquainted with Avhat has taken place , and the wishes of the brethren , as to enable

them to avoid the rocks on which the Board founr dered ; whilst the new members possess that amount of practical knowledge which is likely to prove most valuable in conducting their colleagues to a safe decision . That the Avhole of the members of the

Committee are the best that could be found we hj no means wish to assert ; but noiv that the differences of opinion have been heard , Ave trust that the brethren will be united in giving that moral support to the Committee without which their labours will be in

yam . "What is Avanted by the Craft is the most efficient accommodation that can be afforded to them . in a house of their own , at a cost which shall not be so heavy as to burthen the future income beyond a fair and reasonable amount . How that may be best

attained we have more than once expressed our opinion , and shall not , therefore , now reiterate it . In addition to a fitting temple for the brethren , it is agreed upon all hands that the Tavern must be enlarged and improved , so that , whilst it is subsidiary to the wants

of the Craft , and supplies their house AA'ith all that may be required , at fair and equitable rates , it may attract so large a portion of the general business of the metropolis within its portals as to make it at once advantageous to the lessees and the lessors , whose

interests must ever be identical . The Committee being now fairly formed , we trust that no time will be lost in proceeding to business ;