United Grand Lodge.

placed in the Irands of the secretary of the Asylum of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and the "Widows of Freemasons , to supply the inmates at Croydon with coals during the winter season . The Grand Master put the motion , which was unanimously agreed to

THE FUNDS or THE BOARD or B ENEVOLENCE . On Bro . Clabon being called upon to proceed with the motion of which he had given notice . Bro . Savage , P . G . D ., suggested that the motion should be postponed until there was a fuller Grand Lodge . The Masters ought to give notice to their Wardens , and many of them were

not aware of that meeting . If he was in order he would move that the subject be postponed until the meeting in December . The Grand Master said he could not receive that motion without notice . The notice on the paper was as follows :

By Bro . John M . Clabon , P . G . D . — Considering . —1 . The amount of the reserved fund of benevolence and the annually increasing surplus of that fund , as shown iy the annexed table . RECEITTS .

Contributions , No . of Amount Reserved Fund . Interest . Fees of Honour , Masons of Charities . Surplus . S . Stock . Calendar . Relieved . Benevolence . M . Mortgage . £ s . d . £ s . d . £ s . d . £ s . d . £ s . d . £

1840 ... ... - - ... ... S 11 , 000 1850 ... ... ¦» ' ... ... ... S 12 , 500 1860 562 10 0 2 , 512 19 10 109 1 , 38 G 10 0 800 0- 0 888 19 10 S 19 , 000 1 SG 1 592 10 0 3 , 019 11 2 14 G 1 . 8 S 3 17 G S 00 0 0 928 4 2 S 20 , 500

18 G 2 G 22 10 0 2 , 707 15 3 1 G 8 2 , 351 0 0 800 0 0 179 5 3 S 21 , 000 1863 G 30 0 0 3 . 0 G 7 G 9 170 2 , 310 2 0 800 0 0 5 S 7 4 9 S 21 , 000 18 G 4 G 37 10 0 3 , 527 0 3 159 2 , 449 10 0 S 00 0 0 915 0 3 S 22 , 500 1 S 65 G 75 0 0 3 , G 40 10 9 134 1 , G 72 10 0 800 0 0 1 , 843 0 9 S 23 , 500

1 SGG 727 10 0 3 , 902 4 2 134 1 , 840 2 0 800 0 0 1 , 989 12 2 [^ ^ ' ^ 1867 1 , 053 15 1 4 , 22 G 18 2 152 2 , 108 12 0 S 00 0 0 2 , 372 13 [^ J' ?^

Considering . —2 . That no reasons exists for continuing this accumulation , and that without diminishing the principal of the reserved fund , the annual surplus may be applied with advantage for the benefit of this generation . Considering . —3 . That there is no existing provision for apprenticing the children of Freemasons on their leaving the Masonic schools , or in otherwise assisting them to commence

life . Move to resolve . —1 . That one-third of the annual surplus of the Fund of Benevolence be appropriated for the Boys ' School , and another third for the Girls' School , in forming funds for such apprenticeship and assistance . 2 . That such one-third parts respectively be invested , and the dividends paid to the House Committee of either school . 3 . That the House Committee , for the time being of each

school , do apply the dividends of the funds respectively appropriated to the school in their discretion for the benefit of children who have been at the school . 1 . In apprenticing them to any business or profession . 2 . In making annual payments for a limited period to those proceeding to any of the public schools , colleges , or universities ,

3 . In aiding them to establish themselves in any business or profession . With power to appropriate the surplus of one year , in like manner , in future years , and rendering to the Grand Lodge an annual account of their receipts and expenditure on account of the said funds .

Bro . Clabon said it appeared to be the feeling of the Grand Lodge at that moment , that he should proceed to make a statement , and although he did not venture to suppose that all would agree with him in what he recommended , yet he felt sure that the Grand Lodge would concur with him when he said that the subject was one of great interest . They took

orphans into their buildings , where they gave them an admirable education , but at fifteen years of age , in the case of the boys , and sixteen in that of the girls , they w ere sent out into the world withont any further education and without funds . Now PAYMENTS .

he asked by his motion to supply that want . The first thing he had to do , was to tell them where be found tho funds which he wished to utilise for that purpose . He found , upon examination , that the funds ot the Board of Benevolence , which were produced by tho quarterage of Masons , were not all spent , and there was an increase every year , and in a few years that accumulation had increased to £ 10 , 000 , and at the present time

it was nearly £ 30 , 000 . So fast did these funds accumulate , that a few years ago they were enabled to lend £ 19 , 000 to meet the expense of building the place in which they were assembled . The first change , he proposed to make upon these funds would , of course , be their Charities , for which £ 10 , 000 would be sufficient , and then he proposed to give the surplus to those objects which his resolution had in view . They then received as quarterages about £ 4 , 000 , and £ 800 or £ 900 as interest from