Supreme Grand Lodge.

William Jennings on his retirement from the office of G . D . C . in grateful recognition of the efficient and faithful senlces rendered by him during a period of 25 years . " ( Cheers . ) Bro . JENNINGS , P . G . D . C , Avho was loudly applauded , saicl he was sure the brethren Avould sympathise with him in the position in which he was placed on reeeivmg so honourable ancl handsome a mark of their favour . The jeivel was one Avhieh he should always highlprizebut the lustre of the brilliants ivith which it was set

y ; gahied additional lustre from the fact that the jeivel ivas presented on the unanimous vote of the Grand Lodge of England . ( Applause . ) Those Avords Avere engraved upon the jeAvel , but ( said Bro . Jennings , striking his breast ) they are more indelibly engraved here . ( Applause . ) There was another circumstance which added further lustre to the jewel , viz ., that it Avas presented by the M . W . G . M . in thereby showing that the act of Grancl Lodge met ivith his

person , countenance and approval . ( Applause . ) Perhaps they would excuse him for a few moments whilst he indulged in some reflections on the past . At an e ? rly period after he entered into Freemasonry , it ivas bis good fortune to be introduced to the illustrious prince who then presided over the Order , and received from him many favours . He was early received into the friendship and councils of H . R . H ., which continued until the close of his

life . The present Grand Master succeeded H . R . H ., ancl was pleased to continue his confidence in him ( Bro . Jennings ) , ivhich he had enjoyed down to the present time . He felt an honest pride in having been so distinguished ( applause ); and he could assure Grand Lodge he had ever been most jealous to preserve alike the honour of his office and the privileges of Grand Lodge . ( Cheers . ) He early saw that the office of G . D . C . ivas something more than formal , and could be made most useful in carrying out

those details which would enable the M . W . G . M . and the principal officers the more easily to perform their duties . He , therefore , felt it his duty to mix largely ivith the Craft , so as to enable him to obtain information ivhich it might be useful for him to communicate to the Grand Master . Many might have thought that the G . D . C . Avas like a troubled spirit , moving about here , there , ancl everywhere , whilst , in fact , he ivas only looking to the details of Grand Lod in order to leave the principal officers at greater

ge , liberty to devote themselves to higher duties . ( Cheers . ) He thanked them in all sincerity for the great confidence ancl Masonic feeling they had always shown , ancl he could not express how grateful he was to them for this last mark of their kindness to him . He bowed to the Grand Master for his invariable kindness , and he bowed to the brethren for their fraternal and unswerving kindness on all occasions . ( Cheers . )

NOMINATION OF GBAND 1 IASTEK . Bro . SAEGOOD , P . M ., No . 109 , said , that upon the occasion of their next meeting they ivould be called upon to exercise one of their highest privileges—that of electing the Grand Master of England . It required great and varied qualifications for the proper discharge of the duties of the office , and these had been found united in a remarkable degree in the noble Earl who had now for seventeen years fulfilled the duties of that exalted position . His close

business habits , his invariable courtesy , ancl the tact and talent which he displayed in the unravelling of most intricate questions , as evinced that evening , had endeared him to all , and proi'ed how ivell his Lordship was fitted to preside over them . Happily , whilst it was their privilege to annually elect their Grand Master , their constitution did not preclude them from re-electing a brother in whom they had confidence , nor the G . M . from re-accepting the office . ( Cheers . ) He should therefore do himself now the pleasure

of giving notice that it was his intention at the next quarterly communication to propose tbe re-election of the noble Lorcl as Grancl Master , who had so long ancl satisfactorily occupied that high position with honour to himself ancl advantage to the Craft . ( Cheers . )

LODGE Or BENEVOLENCE . The next business was the election of tivelve Past Masters to serve on the Lodee of Benevolence for the ensuing year , when Bros . Adlard ( No . 7 ) , Barrett ( 212 ) , Brett ( 206 ) , Gale ( 19 ) , Garrod ( 1 , 022 ) , Lee ( 9 ) , M . Levinson ( 19 ) , Maney ( 201 ) , Potter ( 11 ) , Sheen ( 219 ) , Stacey ( 211 ) , and Tyrrell ( 16 S ) were elected . The report of the Lodge of Benevolence having been read , on a motion for giving £ 30 to the widow of Bro . Henty , Bro . Binckes

moved as an amendment that the sum be increased to £ 50 . Ifc appeared that Bro . Henty had been for many years a member of the Order , and had filled i-arious offices , both in his private Lodge and the Grancl Lodge of Calcutta , Avhere he had long held a high position in a mercantile house . Having , as a reward for long and faithful services , been admitted to a partnership , he despatched his wife and five children to England , in order that she might provide for their education ; but on her arrival in this country the news awaited her that her husband had died ol cholera , after a few- hours' illness . In this position , having only about £ 40 a year settled upon her by

Life Assurance , she was desirous of returning to Calcutta , where she was well known and esteemed , in order to open a boarding-house ; and it was to assist her return that the money ivas wanted . One of her children had been received into the Freemasons' Boys' School , another ivas provided for by friends , ancl she proposed immediately to take her other children back to Calcutta . The amendment was unanimously carried . The other grants recommended by the Lodge of Benevolence were confirmed .

BOAED OP GENEBAL PURPOSES AND THE COLONIAL BOAED . The reports of these Boards were then taken as read , received ,, and ordered to be entered on the minutes . GBANT TO THE CHAEITIE 8 . Bro . SJIITH , P . G . Purst ., rose to bring forward his motion for a grant of £ 4 , 000 to the various charities from the Fund of Benevolence , when

Bro . SAVAGE wished to ask whether the question could be entertained , it not being on the paper of business . Seeing- how minute the paper was with regard to the business to be performed , he ivas puzzled , to see IIOAV any question could be considered ivhich did not appear upon it . The GBAND MASTER regretted that the Grancl Secretary had omitted to place the notice upon the paper of business , but arising as it did as an adjourned debate out of the minutes of the last

Grancl Lodge , he considered that the question might be taken into consideration—but he ivould put it to Bro . Smith Avhether , under the circumstances , it was expedient to proceed with it . Bro . SMITH , looking at the importance of the question , involving , no less than a sum of £ 4 , 000 , was , under the circumstances , disposed to postpone it , if it met with tbe approbation of the brethren . Bro . BABEEIT ivas opposedto the motion , and thought the question ought to be settled at once . The motion was then by consent withdrawn .

POAVSB 3 OE THE LODGE 01 ? BENEVOLENCE . Bro . BINCKES then rose to bring forward his motion , — ' * That the powers of the Lodge of Benei'olence be enlarged , so as to enable it to afford immediate relief to the extent of £ 20 , and to recommend cases to the M . W . Grancl Master for relief to tbe extent of £ 50 . " It was generally urged that Freemasonry was not a charitable institution . Certainly ifc w-as not so in the popular acceptation of the word , as no man entered Freemasonry with

the idea of coming on its funds for relief ; but ho believed that there were no body of men so limited in numbers ivhich did so much in the way of charity . There might be differences of opinion as to the way in which the Lodge of Benevolence discharged its duties ; but that ivould not affect the question as to whether their powers were sufficiently large . He had heard it objected to his motion that , as theLodge was constituted , it washable to be canvassed ; but ifc was equally liable whether it had power

to grant £ 10 or £ 20 , and he held that it was an aspersion on a board composed of Masters ancl Past Masters of lodges , and Grand Officers , to say that tbey could be so influenced . ( Cheers . ) He had also heard it suggested , that the whole matter might be referred to the Board of General Purposes , to see whether something could not be done for giving more direct relief under certain circumstances than at present . He was not wedded to any particular plan ; but that was opening a larger question than the motion he brought before them , and which he hoped would be accorded to as founded on

justice ancl equity . To shoiv how their Benevolent Fund was growing , he might mention that in 1845 they received £ 1 , 517 , and expended £ 1 , 432 , leaving a balance of £ 85 . In 1855 they received £ 2 , 472 , and expended " £ 1 , 506 , whilst their accumulations in ten years amounted to £ 6 , 183 over the expenditure , ancl he believed he was not far Avrong in stating that the accumulations now amounted to about £ 20 , 000 . He considered the powers of the Lodge of Benevolence were now too limitedand he therefore proposed " that they should

; be extended , so that it might grant relief to £ 20 , instead , of £ 10 , and that the Grancl Master ' s power should be extended from £ 20 to £ 50 ; considering that a large amount of good would be accomplished by the adoption of tbe motion . Bro . HOPWOOD seconded the resolution . Bro . SAVAGE regretted that he could not agree with the motion , believing it to be altogether unnecessary , ancl Bro . Binckes not "

having shown that there ivas any practical inconvenience accruing under the present system . The Board could now give immediate relief to the extent ' of £ 10 , and by recommendation to the Grand Master , £ 20 . The papers were sent to the G . M ., who examined them ,, ancl in almost every case approved the recommendation ; and ,. generally speaking , the applicants obtained the grant by the following Saturday . " Then , again , a grant up to £ 50 did not noiv require confirmation of Grancl Lodge , but the applicant received it the clay after Grand lodge , in pursuance of a resolution whicli he brought forward and carried some years since , having seen a