The Masonic Mirror.

for the purpose of obtaining the right of all members of Grand Lodge to A'ote by proxy in the election of the fourteen members of the Board of General Purposes , who are annually eleeted by the Grand Lodge . " 2 . That the said committee be . authorized to receive subscriptions for tho purpose of communicating with country Lodges , with a view of receiving suggestions and procuring a united action on this important subject . " 3 . That the said committee have power to add to their number any

actual Alasters , AVardens , and Past Alasters , AVIIO are members of Grand Lodge , and who may be willing to cooperate for this desirable object . " Bro . A . Sunn said he should have much pleasure in seconding the adoption of the resolutions . In accordance with a wish expressed by some of the brethren , aud with the consent of the AA . M ., Bro . Sherry curtailed his remarks on this mbject at tbe present period , contenting himself with merely the formal moving of the resolutions till after the banquetivhen a further

oppor-, tunity would offer of continuing the discussion on the interesting question . Bro . SMITH concurred witli the postponement of the discussion on the resolutions , saying that if any spare time intervened between the eonelusion of the other business and the banquet , be should much prefer listening to a lecture on the tracing board from Bro . Biggs , who would be happy to so officiate if space allowed . Bro . SMITHcontinuingsaid . he felt glad the power had been put in

, , his hands , though he feared he might be thought presumptuous in undertaking the pleasurable duty he was about to perform . It must , be was quite sure , have been noticed by every brother present in what a commendable ivay the business of that afternoon bad been conducted by the two able Past Alasters who had officiated in the ceremonies . Those two brethren must surely be looked up to as lights of the . most perfect kind , and as sources from whence emanated the best ancl fullest instruction in the mysteries of the noble Craft . He ivould therefore

beg to move that the best thanks of the Lodge be given to Bros . Everitt and Oakshott for the excellent manner in which they had presided and assisted iu the carrying out of the ceremonies of the day . Several brethren rose to second the motion , but it was carried by acclamation .

Bro . EvuniTT assured the Lodge that he deeply felt the compliment and was sincerely grateful . He had , and always should , feel a distinguished pleasure in doing whatever he eould to advance the interests of Freemasonry , in respect to that Lodge especially . He had always felt great pleasure in giving bis personal assistance in conducting their ceremonies , ancl as long as his services were considered of use he should be happy to give tbem . He only wished many others present were more competent than himself ; he should be glad to see at least twelve

brethren fully able to initiate a candidate ; the ceremony was easy enough to acquire if they only gave their minds to it for a short time . ( Hear ) . Bro . OAKSHOTT said this was a honour he had not for a moment anticipated . He did not know what he had done materially to assist in the ceremonies , but he was very much gratified to hear that his efforts to assist were so appreciated . He bad thought himself that he had not given the charge so well as at other times when be had officiated , and a slight temporary ailment was 2 iis only excuse . He had not expected his name to be included by Bro . Smith in the vote of thanks , but that brother having done so , lie thanked him , ancl the . brethren collectively , for their kindness .

The hour fixed for tho banquet being now long exceeded , the intended lecture ivas necessarily postponed till a more convenient period , 'THE BANQUET took place in the convenient assembly room of tho Black Swan Hotel adjacent to the Lodge rooms . It was well attended , and proved another decided success in the catering experience of Bro . Sherry . The W . AI . ( Bro . La Croix ) took the chairsupported bhis AVardens

, y and other new officers ; there beiug present the following Past Alasters : —Biggs , Patten , Carter , Everitt , Durant , It . AV . Smith , ( surgeon ) , ' Jacob , Oakshott , Sherry , Russ ; ancl Bros . Cowen , Best , Higgs , Newman ' Butcher , Gerrard , Huggins , Birt , Hubbersty , A . Smith , Els ' on , AVaterman , AVright , E . Sherry , & c . The usual loyal and Alasonic toasts , of a complimentary character Avere abliven by tbe AA ' . M . in a series of brief speechesand all dul

y g , y honoured by tho company . Bro . DURANT then obtained permission to propose a toast . Ho said that ivas the first time the brethren had met their respected Bro . La Croix as the Master of the Lodge , and he was epiite sure they would experience very great pleasure in again meeting him on the twelve or thirteen other occasions when he ivould preside over thorn diirin" the year . The oftener they met him , he was convinced tbe better they Avould like him

, as he felt confident their new AVAL would do much honour to his office , aud perform his duties creditably both to himself and the Lodge . He would not there expatiate upon Bro . La Croix's private virtues , as they were so well known to them all . Ho was assuredl y convinced that whatever the AV . AI . could do to further tbe interests of the Lodge , would be doue ; therefore he had great pleasure in proposing his health ancl prosperity . ( Cheers ) . Drunk ivith Alasonic honours . Tho AV . AI . said he should feel it to be unwise on his part to occupy much of the company ' s time in responding to a compliment , in paying

wb ich he feared too much had already been advanced in his fai * our . He perfectly ivell knew the value of mere conventional terms , though he likj - . vise knew they had all complimented him in full sincerity of heart ; but the loss he said the better in regard to any past good qualities they might have fancied they perceived in bim . He Avas well aware that a man ' s good name and character were rather to be established by tho things he did , than ivhat he promised or Avhat was flatteringly anticipated of him , ( Hear ) . He could only hope that , Avhile he was their

Alaster , their present anticipations of his efficiency ancl what he might do would not prove wrongly founded . As far as he ivas concerned , he was determined to do his best both iu and out of the Lodge to advance their prosperity and interests , and not only in regard to Alasonry , but in the matters of every day common life be heartily wished them all ivell , ancl hoped they might yet all meet many times and oft happily together , ( hear ) . He hoped the Lodge would continue to show an equal , or an increased prosperity to recent times ; and whatever they did by their

united efforts for the Lodge generally , he trusted they would be able to show to the outward world that their fraternity Avas kept up for something more than mere purposes of pleasurable , indulgence . He hoped that when the time came for his retirement , he should leave the chair ivith tbe same good opinions ancl n-ishes on tbe part of his brethren as they had now given utterance to . ( Loud cheers ) . The AV . AI . said the next toast ivas an important one , it being tbe health of a . gentleman whom tbey that niht had the pleasure of

g initiating into their Order , —and a gentleman also whom apparently they might securely trust and believe would do honour to tbem ancl their Lodge . He expected that what the initiate had already heard ancl seen Avas quite enough to convince him that their body was not composed of mere wiuebibbers , as it had been said of them on some occasions elsewhere , but that something far more noble and valuable actuated tbem in pursuing the avocations of their ancient and honoured Craft . Ho gave " The health of Bro . AVriht" hoping he would never find cause to

g , regret taking the step he had made that day . ( Hear , and loud cheering ) . Bro . AVRIGHT expressed his grateful acknoivlcdgments . He felt highly honoured in being admitted into such a noble Craft as Freemasonry , ancl hoped his conduct as a brother would be found creditable to himself ancl the Lodge . ' ¦

The AV . M . then proposed the health of the P . Ms , of the Lodge , coupling with it the name of Bro . Durant . Drunk with loud cheers . Bro . DURANT , in responding , said he recognized several bright lights in Alasonry present that evening , whom he did not very often enjoy the pleasure of meeting . It had given him exceeding satisfaction to witness the able maimer in ivbieh the various officers had worked the Lodge since his connection with it , and if those who came into office hereafter ivere oaly ecpial in talent and energy , the character of Lodge No . 90 Avould not

lose its present high position . As the senior P . AI . he had to return thanks for the honour clone in drinking the toast . Bro . Durant eulogistically mentioned the various names of those who bad ivith credit filled the chair of the Lodge , ancl paid an especial compliment to Bro . Cowen , the Secretary , who was one of the oldest ancl most experienced Alasons in that or auy other province . They all , he well knew , ivished to see Alasonry flow on prosperously , and would do their utmost one and all to secure the same .

The Proxy Question . — -Bro . SHERRY reintroduced this question , ivith the permission of the AV . AI . He said he had in the afternoon formally moved the adoption of some resolutions by the Lodge , ancl perhaps the brethren would feel called upon to resume the discussion on the same at the present opportunity , especially as there were more in attendance . The proposed resolutions being reread , Bro . Sherry said , most of them present would recollect that the subject bad been mooted several times iu their Lodge , ancl that a memorial had been adopted to the Board of General Purposes in London , though the reply from the Grand Secretary bad informed thorn that the prayer of such memorial had been refused

to be entertained . He believed , however , that the subject comprehended a point so essential for the prosperity of Alasonry throughout the country , that it ivould yet be thought advisable to urge it upon the London executive more imperatively than had already been clone . He eould soe no excuse in justice for denying to provincial members of Grand Lodge the right of voting by proxy in tho election of the Board of General Purposes , any more than for denying their right of attending London , and voting personally iu Graud Lodge , which ivas objectionable and loss of

to provincial brethren , because of au enormous expense time rendered necessary in order for them to be there—inconveniences which wero almost entirely unknown and unfelt by members ivho resided in London , though the privileges wero supposed to be the same for all . To show one of the cases in which he saw the necessity of a change , he would call tho attention of the Lodge to the fact of tho President lately bringing forward a scheme for the expending of a large sum of money ( . t' 50 , 000 or £ 60 , 000 ) in pulling down ancl rebuilding those extensive

buildings in Groat Queen-street , and erecting others still larger , which however ivas entirely unnecessary . Tbe groat majority of London members of Grand 'Lodge always in attendance , consequent upon their greater facilities for being present , gave them a power of exercisiug their own ivill almost hopeless to think of counteracting , unless tbe facilities of voting were made more equal in the election of the executive . He found by returns which had been published , that the average attendance of provincial brethren at Grand Lodge , in the course of a year , amounted to less than thirty , while that of the London brethren amounted to nearly one hundred and sei'enty . This was an immense preponderance .