Especial Grand Lodge—Aid To The Sick And Wounded.

ESPECIAL GRAND LODGE—AID TO THE SICK AND WOUNDED .

An Especial Grand Lodge of Emergency was hold at Freemasons' Hall , on Friday , 16 th inst ., for the purpose of considering and deciding upon a motion proposed by the Deputy Grand Master , tho Earl of Carnarvon , for a grant of £ 500 , towards the fund now being raised , under the auspices of the Bro . H . R . H . Prince of Wales , for aid to the Sick and

Wounded in the War . There was but a moderate attendance . Amongst the brethren present were , R . W . Earl of Carnarvon , the D . G . M . as Grand Master ; Earl Limerick , Prov . G . M ., Bristol , as D . G . M .: Col . P . Burdett , Prov . G . M , of Middlesex , as S . G . S . W . ; S . Rawson , "P . D . G . M . of China , as S . G . J . W . ; Rev . C . Martyn : Rev . J .

'Simpson , P . G . C ; S . Tomkins , G . Treas . ; 'iEneas J . Mclntyre , G , Reg ., Chairman of B . of G . P . ; Jabez Hogg , M . D ., G . J . D . ; John Hervey , G . Sec . ; Joshua ^ Nunn , P . G . S . B . ; Fenn . as G . Dir . of Cers . ; several Grand Stewards and P . G . Stewards ; Raynhain W Stewart , W . M . 45 S ; A . G . Church , of BrittanicLodge ( No . 33 ); G . King , G . King , jun . ; W . Smith , C . E ., P . G . S . ; H . Masse } " ,

P . M . ; Matthew Cooke , P . M .. The Grand Secretary having read letters from the Prince of Wales and the Earl of Zetland , expressing their earnest aproval of the object for which this Grand Lodge was called . The R . W . Bro . the Earl of CARNARVON rose and said , —It has -not been without consideration that I have given notice of this

motion for this evening . I havo been led to do so both from the circumstances of tho case and from a feeling that in placing this motion upon the paper I was in haimony , and perhaps more than harmony , with the sense of the great majority of the craft . ( Hear . ) I need not take np your time by recapitulating the miserable events which have rendered

such a grant necessary . The circumstances are unfortunately too familiar to all of us , and there is not a single day that passes that does not bring , through tho eolures of the public -papers , vividly before our eyes the horrors and miseiies of this lamentable war . ( Hear . ) Moreover , I think no one can stud y those public prints without being aware of tho deep necessity which exists for some such aid as the present . I might add to

that necessity this consideration , that though as a matter of fact the mortality in this war has been in actual battle very large indeed , the mortality that results from the consequences of those battles , from sickness , from wounds , from the illness aud the fevers that sot in in consequence of them , is in this case , as they are in all other similar eases , far greater than

the actual mortality in battle ; and , in the next place , I might also remind you that so far from this war having been less bloody and less cruel in its operation , it is , perhaps , since science has been invoked in its aid , more terrible in tho wounds inflicted . Suffering , with the scientific instruments of destruction which are now being used on each side , is aggravated

rather than dimiiiisued . At tho same time , I should not think it right to ask you to vote so large a sum as this , and uncle 1 ' ¦ circumstances which I feel to bo of an exceptional and peculiar nature , without at tho same time stating all that I think may he fairly stated in objection to my own proposal . It will show -at least that I have considered this matter as fairly as I can ,

and that I am desirous that Grand Lodge should act in this matter as I would have Grand Lodgo act iu every matter , with its eyes open , seeing tho arguments on tho right hand and the left , and then finally deciding on that which it thinks right-At tho same time I would also say that in a case of this sort , which I admit to bo of an exceptional character , I am g ' . ad to

find that wo have the open and express concurrence of two members of the craft , one of whom , indeed , though he has only recently joined our order , fills so great ancl distinguished a position in it—the Prince of Wales ; aud on the other hand that we have the concurrence of our late Grand Master , who , as yon all know , for so many years presided over tho craft ,

attended to all its concerns , was familiar with every vote of this kind that has been given , and does not hesitate to say that , though exceptional , still it has precedents in the past , and so , as his high station and his position in ths crafc warrant him , he gives it his full sanction and approval . ( Hear , hear . ) I would howeveralso state the arguments that may be raised in

oppos-, tion . It may bo said that this is a grant of money to those who are not members of our Order . It is perfectly true . But , I have still to learn that either in principle or in practice the benefits of Masonry are to be exclusively and selfishly confined to our own Order . ( Hear . ) Our teaching and our principles would , if that were tho case , be fairly open to cavil . And let

me remind yon . that in practice it has never been so in this Grand Lodge . When the Crimean war raged this Grand Lodge subscribed £ 1 , C 00—subscribed it not in aid of Masons , but iu aid of all those that came within the range of the Patriotic Fund . Again , when the Indian Mutiny broke out this Graud Lodge also subscribed on the same scale . Again ,

when the Lancashire distress made itself felt in England , this Graud Lodgo was equally munificent . Aud I may cite one case , and I believe thoro are more oases if I ohoso to refer to them—a ease which is so strong aud so applicable to the present , that when that terrible earthquake occurred some years ago in Peru , this Grand Lodgo did not hesitate to step in and grant 100 guineas by way of assuaging the sufferings of the afflicted . I iiave received several letters as to the mode of the

application of this money ; and it has been urged upon me that it might bo better that this money should be handed over to foreign sooietios for them to distribute either to French or to Prussians , as the case might bo . I differ , for my own part , on consideration , from that proposal . We , that is Masons , havo established here in London an organization which I believe is satisfactory , complete , and perfectly impartial iu its

objectsand I have no wish to refuse to take advantage of the opera , tion of that society . Again , I might remind the Grand Loclge that that society is presided over by no other than his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , who may be fairly said in that capacity to represent tho Grand Lodge aud the Craft in tho distribution of that money . And , lastly , wo are entirely

neutral , thank God ! in this war . We are very often blamed by the two contending parties for being too cold and tog neutral We incur some opprobrium from cither side . Let us at all events for tho one benefit aud the one advantage be neutrals _ let us bo able to say that if we can give not the material assistance of war to either party , wo are prepared to give

liberally in money to succour tho wounded and the sick , those who , for tho time being , are taken out of that category of belligerents . As we are neutrals , so let us give this money through a neutral agency . Well , then , I have heard there are some also who hold that this proposed grant of £ 500 is too largo , while others hold that it is too small . ( Hear , hear . )

Now , I say , when I hear these two objections urged against this amount I am satisfied I have hit upon tho right sum , because 1 have decided between tlie two , and I believe it is neither too large nor too small . I do not think it is too small because I think it is well for Grand Lodge , when it makes these exceptional votes , to make thorn with a liberal spirit and on a handsome scale ,- and I think £ 500 is small . On the