Supreme Grand Lodge.

case where a father , wife , and three children were left destitute for three months whilst waiting the confirmation of a grant . At present the G . M . carefully examined all the cases which ivere put before him , but he feared if his powers were extended to £ 50 , the Grancl Master might consider that greater inquiry was required than he could find time to afford , and call others to his assistance , ancl the decisions would not be so satisfactory as under present arrangements . With regard to the suggestion that the

whole matter of disposing of their funds might be referred to the Board of General Purposes , he contended that the Lodge of Benevolence , if not the superior , was at least the equal of the Board of General Purposes , and he hoped that , if any amendment ivere wanted in its management , it might proceed from the Lodge of BeneA'oleuce itself , and not submit to a reconstruction from any other bodv .

Bro . STEBBING ivould propose an amendment , ivhich was not open to the objection urged by Bro . Savage . He believed that the present machinery of the Lodge of Benevolence was too cumbersome for the times , and not satisfactory in other respects ; whilst the relief , as now afforded , only staved off the day when the applicant had to go to the workhouse ; whereas ifc would be better only to give relief such as would put a widow in business , or restore a man to his position in society , and which could only be ascertained b

y proper inquiry . He therefore moved , as an amendment , that a committee should be appointed to consider the present constitution of the Lodge of Benevolence—its powers , times of meeting , and suitableness of its arrangements to the present position of the Craft , with instructions to report to a future Grancl Lodge and suggest such improvements as would make the Board thoroughly efficient . Bro . VEIIEALL of Brihtonseconded the motion

, g , . Bro . the Rev . A . F . AVOODPOED , Prov . G . Chaplain of West Yorkshire , considered the Board , as at present constituted of tivelve elective Past Masters , and every Master or a Past Master of the different lodges with the Grancl Officers , as the best that could be devised to secure the general co-operation and support of the Craft ; and having seen its working he urged the brethren not to consent to any motion which should , by altering its constitution , deprive it of that support .

After a few words from Bros . Binckes and Savage in explanation , the amendment was put and negatived . The _ original resolution was next put , ancl also negatived . On a division being called for , there appeared—Against the motion Ill For it 32 Majority 79 Grand Lodge ivas then closed with prayer , and the brethren separated .

Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

NEPTUNE LODGE ( NO . 22 . )—At the regular meeting , held on Thursday , November 29 th , at Radley ' s Hotel , New Bridge-street . Bro . John Boughey , W . M ., presided , and raised to the degree of M . M . Bros . Byfield , Levi , and Simmons . The bye-laws of the lodge , Avhich had undergone revision , wero approved and adopted . This being the annual election meeting , Bro . Alfred Pratt , S . W ., was unanimously elected W . M ., and Bro . Wilcocks re-elected Treasurer . The lodge was closed , and the brethren soon after

gathered around the W . M . at the banquet , and after disposal of the usual loyal and Masonic toasts , Bro . Robert Farrar , P . M ., rose and called on the brethren to unite in paying a tribute of thanks to Pro . Boughey , for the excellent manner in which he had conducted the duties of the lodge during his year of office , as that was tbe last clay ofhis presiding at the banquet . —Bro . FARRAR referred to the great amount of work , during that period , and noticed that the raisings of the year exceeded those of any previous one . To

this toast the AV . M . replied , ancl then gave a welcome to the visitors . The Neptune Lodge always desired to have some visitors present , not merely to partake of the banquet , but to observe the working ; the visitors present , Bros . How ancl May , had seen how their work ivas clone , and he , the W . M ., thought the Neptune might challenge competition . —Bro . Hoiv , in responding , noticed the able manner in ivhich the ceremonies had been gone through by the AV . M . and liis officers . A heart ; - tion was iven to " The Health of

, recep g the AV . M . elect . " Some other toasts followed , and the meeting broke up . TEAIPI . II LODGE ( No . 118 ) . —This lodge met for the third time this season on Tuesday , the 4 th inst ., in their commodious lodgemom , at Bro . Painter's , the Ship and Turtle , Leadenhall-street , when four candidates—viz ., Messrs . George Conquest , AV . R . Crauford , Thomas George Collier , and AVilliam Lock—were duly

initiated into the ancient ancl honourable fraternity of Pree and Accepted Masons of England by the AV . M . Bro . Alfred Day , in his usual impressive ancl proficient manner . Bro . Gerald Griffin , of the Domatic Lodge , was admitted a joining member . Bro . Wright was also raised to the sublime degree of a M . M . This being the nighb for election of AA . M ., Treasurer , and Tyler , a ballot was taken , ancl Bro . Edmund Farthing was unanimously elected to fill tbe first high and important office ; Bro . Weedon , Treasurer ; ancl Bro .

Rice , Tyler . —In returning- thanks for the honour conferred on him , Bro . Farthing said he would use his best energies to fill the chair with credit to himself and honour to the lodge . The Temple Lodge stood high in the estimation of the Craft ; ancl , as the Mastership came to him from his predecessor unsullied , so would he , by the help of the Past Masters and the G . A . O . T . U ., hand it to his successor untarnished in its lustre . He woulcl also urge on the newlyinitiated brethren the necessity of learning the questions and

answers they were required to knoiv before they could be passed to a superior degree : they must be able to do so without prompting , as it ivas his firm determination to be guided in his Mastership by The Booh of Constitutions ; and itAi-as there laid clown that all preferment amongst Masons must be by merit ancl ability . Heivished to rule with firmness , but also with conciliation ; and should the brethren detect any error in his ways , he trusted they woulcl attribute it to the head , not the heart . The lodge then retired to banquet , served in Bro . Painter ' s best style . Fifty-four brethren , including several visitors , sat down to it . Tbe harmony of the evening was much enhanced by the excellent singing of Bros . Bruton , Bromley , ancl several other brethren .

INSTRUCTION . ALBION LODGE ( NO . 9 . )—This lodge held its weekly meeting on Sunday evening last , at eight o ' clock , at Bro . Hartley ' s , AVestern Masonic . Hall , " lO , Old Bond-street—Bro . Froud , P . M ., 1051 , as "VOI . j Bro . AVatson , P . M . ; Bro . Stewart , 1051 , as S . W . ; Bro . Riley , 1051 , as J . AA \ The ceremony of initiation was ably worked by Bro . Froud , and the sections of the first lecture were worked hy

Bro . AVatson in bis well-known manner . Bro . Stewart was elected AA . M . for the ensuing Sunday . There being no other business , the lodge was closed in ancient form . EMULATION LODGE ( NO . 318 ) . —The anniversary banquet of this distinguished Lodge of Instruction was held on Friday , the 30 th ult , at the Freemasons' Tavern—Bro . HALL , Prov . G . M . of Cambridgeshire , in the Chair . Bro . Stephen Barton AVilson , although present at the working of the ceremonies , was , we are sorry to

say , compelled by indisposition to absent himself from the festal board . Among others the following brethren were present -. —Bros . Farnfield . Asst . P . G . Sec ; John Harvey , P . G . D . ; Hopwood , P . G . D . ; J LI . Evans , P . G . S . B . ; Patten , P . G . S . B . ; Pullen , D . Prov . G . M ., Isle of Wight ; Gath , P . Prov . G . W ., AVest Riding of Yorkshire ; Nelson , Prov . G . Sec , West Yorkshire ; F . Crew ; G . Barrett ; S . B . AVilson , jun . ; G . F . AVilliams ; Horsley ; F . Adlard ; M . Cooke ; Stebbing , & c . Tbe cloth having been removed , the AV . M . called upon the

brethren , in accordance ivith the custom which prevails in the lodge , to drink the first glass "To the pious Memory of the late Bro . Peter Gilkes . " Tbe toast having been drunk in solemn silence , the AA ' . M . said he had now to propose to the brethren the

health of Her Majesty the Queen . ( Hear , hear . ) He did not do so by way of a common form or ceremony , but as an invitation to them to express their loyalty and devotion to the person of their Sovereign . Every Englishman was bound to feel a personal interest in the character of his country , as well as in its institutions . They had , he felt , a right to be proud that the principles which distinguished the Masonic Order largely pervaded both . ( Hear , hear . ) There ivas no country in the world where more active

benevolence was carried out alike in the public government of the nation , and in private charities . ( Cheers . ) The Constitution of the country was founded upon the principles of tolerance and benevolence , and thty made it a refuge and asylum to the unfortunate , of every rank , of every country , ancl of every religion . From the dethroned Sovereign to the lowest political refugee , every one , in distress , was welcome to these shores . ( Cheers . ) AVith respect to private benevolence , no one in the kingdom practised it more than did their

Sovereign . Under her government free institutions like theirs . were sure to flourish . ( Hear . ) Hehad , therefore , greatpleasure in coupling tbe name of Her Majesty the Queen with the toast of the Order . He would ask them to join with him in drinking " The Queen and the Craft . " The toast was most enthusiastically pledged . The AV . M . then said , that as they had discharged their duty to their hereditary Sovereign , he would now call upon them to pay homage to the Sovereign of the Order—the ruler of their own choice . ( Hear , hear . ) Speaking from that chair , he would be sorry to propose to them any toast about which there could be a difference of opinion ; but he had no apprehension of that kind in proposing " The Health of the Most AVorshhiful the Grand Master