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THE MASONIC MIEHOE ,. * , j * All communications to bo addressed to 19 , Salisbury-street , Strand , London , W . C .

Masonic Mem.

MASONIC MEM .

THE GHEAT MASONIC FESTIVAL AT ArirsxEEDAir . — Tiro Nieuwe Roiterdamsche Courant , of Dee . 1 st ., in describing the recent great Masonic festival held at Amsterdam says , " The National Grand Master presented to the Order the library bought by him some time since , from the late Dr . Klosz , of Frankfort , consisting entirely of printed and manuscript works

on Freemasonry . The collection comprises 5 , 300 printed works , forming over 7 , 000 volumes , and above 2 , 000 manuscripts-There are , besides , numerous commoinmoration medals , decorations , engravings , Sec . Tlie Great East of the Netherlands , already possessed of a great amount ; of Masonic lore , by this princely donation may now be said to be the richest in tho Masonic world /'

Grand Lodge Of Mark Masters Of England And Wales, And The Colonies And Dependencies Of The British Crown.

GRAND LODGE OF MARK MASTERS OF ENGLAND AND WALES , AND THE COLONIES AND DEPENDENCIES OF THE BRITISH CROWN .

Tha winter half-yearly Convocation was Yield on Tuesday , the 4 th December , lSGii , in the Grand Hall , Masonic Union , 14 , Bedford-row ; present : —M . W . Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., M . W . G . M . ; R . W . Bros . Eev . G . R . Portal , R . W . D . G . M . ; John Udall , P . S . G . W ., as S . G . AV . ; W . E . Gumbleton , P . J . G . W ., as J . G . W . ; V . W . Bros . V . Bird , G . M . O . ; E . S . StilUvell , G . S . O . ;

Eev . Thos . F . S . Eavenshaw , and Eev . AV . J . Skilton , G . Chaps . ; W . J . Meymotf , G . Reg . ; F . Binckes , G . Sec . ; W . Bros . Joshua Nunn , G . S . D . ; Edward Turner , G . J . D . ; Richard Spencer , G . S . B . ; F . Davison , G . Org . ; with several P . G . Officers , Wardens , Overseers , and members of private lodges . Grand Lodge was opened in ample form , with solemn prayer .

The minutes of the Grand Lodge of June 5 , 1 SGG , were read and confirmed . Letters regretting their absence were read from several Present and Past Grand officers . V . AV . Bro . Eev . W . F . Short , P . G . Ch . nominated AV . \ A . B . Beach , Esq ., M . P ., for election as Grand Master iu June next , for the then ensuing year . The report of the General Board was read , received , and ordered to be entered on the minutes , as follows : —

REPORT OP THE GENERAL BOARD . The General Board has to report the continued prosperity of Mark Masonry . Since the 1 st of June last 121 certificates havo been issued . "Warrants have been granted to : —James Edward Loelge , ( No . 93 ) , Caunanore , Madras ; Love and Honour ( No . 91 ) Falmouth ;

Star in the East ( No . 05 ) Scarborough ; Metham ( No . 9 G ) Devon . The Abbey Loelge ( No . 59 ) , meeting at Tewkesbury in the county of Gloucester received permission in June last to remove its place of meeting to the City of AVorcester , and to change its name to that of Tho Lechmere Lodge , the R . W . Bro . Sir Edmund Lechmere , Bart ., having been elected to preside as W . M .

The severe illness of tliat distinguished brother , however , prevented the completion of the necessary arrangements , and under the circumstances it was considered advisable to proceed to the election of another Master which has accordingly been done , and there is every reason to believe that under the rule of its present AA' . M . the lodge will attain a bigh state of prosperity it having met for the first time in its new locality on the 20 th ult . when the AV . M . was duly installed and nine candidates advanced .

It is gratifying to state that a warrant of confirmation has been granted to the Southwark Lodge , held in the Borough , the last loelge under tlie Grand Chapter in Scotland , actually working in the Metropolitan District , and which will in future meet under this jurisdiction with the title of the Southwark Lodge . Communications have also been received from representatives

of the Langley Lodge , S . C . Cardiff , which it is hoped may lead to similar results , while there is good ground to anticipate the not distant adhesion to this supreme body of other timeimmemorial independent lodges of Mark Masters . Under the circumstances here set forth it has been deemed advisable to postpone the preparation of the suggested

communication to the Grand Loelges of Scotland and Ireland , pending the issue of tho negociations referred to . The policy of adhesion to this Grand Lodge hy the associated lodges in Lancashire , is still under consideration hy the executive of the latter body . The lodge recently established in the Channel Islands having

experienced considerable disadvantage in comparison with the lodge there working under the Irish Constitution , has memorialised the Board for a reduction of the fees payable for certificates on advancement , and admitting the justice of the pleas urged in support of the memorial which , it should he stated , cordially recognises the courtesy and friendly disposition of the

members of the Irish Lodge , the Board recommends for the approval of Grand Lodge , a reduction of the fee for certificate to the same amount as that established for the Colonies , viz ., 5 s , in lieu of Ss . Gel .

The Treasurer's accounts are annexed given in detail and showing a balance in favour of Grand Lodge of £ 148 2 s . Sd . The accounts for the past year will be published in extenso . The Board recommends that the following donations to the Masonic Charities be paid from the funds of the Grand Lodgo : — Royal Masonic Institution for Boys £ 5 5 0

Royal Freemasons'Girls School 5 5 0 Eoyal Masonic Benevolent Institution ... 5 0 0 ( Signed ) G . R . POU-TAI , D . G . M . Chairman .

On motions duly proposed and seconded , thc several recom ¦ mendations of the Board were adopted , viz .: — 1 . The reduction of the fee payable to Grand Lodge for cer tificate on advancement by brethren in the Channel Islands to the same amount as that paid by brethren in the colonies , viz ., from 8 s . Gd . to 5 s . 2 . The postponement of the action of the law as to Fund of

Benevolence , ponding receipt of opinions from the various lodges , in accordance with the prayer of a memorial from a lodge in the country . 3 - Contributions to the Masonic Charities . The report of the Grand Treasurer for the past year was read and received , showing : —