Grand Lodge.

may be raised : —1 st , by borrowing from public offices ; 2 nd , by debentures ; and 3 rd , by hoi-rowing from the Fund of Benevolence . The Committee are unanimously of opinion that the latter is tho most desirable course : the security is ample , the mount borrowed can be repaid by instalments , the society will not bo obliged to seek extraneous aid , and the Fund of

Benevolence will be benefited . The Committee therefore recommend that the practice which has boon adopted on similar occasions shall he followed in this instance , and respectfully submit the following resolutions to Grand Lodge , viz .: — 1 . That , for the purpose of completing the new buildings , a sum not exceeding £ 19 , 000 be raised by borrowing the same

from the Fund of Benevolence , on mortgage of the freehold property belonging to the society ; and that interest be paid thereon , at the rate of four per cent , per annum . 2 . That the necessary mortgage deeds be prepared ; and that the trustees of the funded and freehold property be , and they are hereby , instructed to execute the same , and see that the provisions therein are dul y carried out ; and that the full amount of Stock , which may be sold out from tho Fund of Benevolence , for the purpose of this loan , shall be reinstated to that Fund .

3 . 1 hat the Building Committee be , and they are hereby , authorised to use such surplus money as nay arise from the Fund of General Purposes ; and to draw for a further sum , not exceeding £ 19 , 000 , now to be borrowed from the Fund of Benevolence , at such times and in such amounts as may be required in the progress of the works ; and , iu like manner , to repay to the Fund of Benevolence the amount borrowed , by such yearly or half-yearly instalments as shall hereafter be found convenient .

( Signed ) JOHN HAVERS , Chairman . London , 15 th February , 1865 . 9 . The report of Brother It . P . Harding ( Auditor of the Grand Lodge Accounts ) , of the receipts and disbursements during the vear 1864 .

Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

ALBION LODGE ( NO . 9 ) . —The brethren of this ancient lodgo assembled on the 7 th inst . at the Freemasons' Tavern , for tlie purpose of fulfilling the mystic duties it behoved them to dedicate to the Craft in general and their lodge in particular . Bro . Poultyn , the WM . , was warmly congratulated for the manner in which he had performed the duties of his office , and especially for the correct and eloquent way in wliich he went through the ceremony of initiation in the induction of Mr

. Harvey into the arcana of the preliminary degree of K . A . He also , in the same excellent style , passed Bros . Farrer and Levy through the necessary steps entitling them to become the depositaries of the secrets connected with the degree of F . C . In addition to those arduous tasks ho raised Bro . Frederick Mitchell to the sublime and final degree of M . M . The whole of the three ceremonies were carried out in the most solemn form Stevens

. Bro . , S . W ., and Bro . "Willy , J . AV ., merit overv praise for the great efficiency thoy displayed in their onerous offices , ns also did all tho other officers , who in their various departments rendered efficient aid to the AV . M . The P . M . 's were Bros . Ferryman , Abbott , Valentine , Friend , Warr , Moreing , and Palmer . Among the visitors were Bros . O'Connor , Fisher , Farquharson , and Charles Sloman . The banquet was served in

Messrs . Elkington and Company ' s usual style . ROBERT BUHNS LODGE ( SO . 25 ) . —This old-established lodge met at the Freemasons' Tavern on the evening ofthe 6 th inst ., when Bro . Nicholls was installed in the chair of K . S . by Bro . AVatson . The brethren raised to the sublime degree were Bios . C . Long , C . A . Long , and K . IV . L 0117 , being father and two sons ; also Bro . Selivoober . The brother passed to the degree of F . C . was Bro . Corker , who came all the way from Neath , in South AVales , for the purpose of receiving his second step .

The initiations were performed by Bro . Nicholls , after his installation , in a manner that would have done honour to the oldest P . M . in the Craft . The recipients of the secrets were Mr . Ford , and Mr . Payne , of the Goat House Hotel , Norwood . Tlie newly-installed W . M . was most ably supported by his officers , and also by the P . M . ' s , who wero Bros . Matthews , AVatson , Clements , Bennett , Gladwin , Caulcher , and Farmer . Among the visitors present were Bros . M'lntyreG . Reg . ;

, Evans , President ofthe Board of General Purposes ; Savage and Farmer , P . M . ' s . Bro . Charles Sloman enlivened the evening with an impromptu resume of all that had transpired , and many other brethren materially contributed to the harmony of the occasion .

LODOE OE JUSTICE ( NO . 147 ) . —A meeting of this old and successful lodge was held at Bro . Porter's , White Swan , Highstreet , Deptford , on the 8 th inst . Bro . J . Bavin , AV . M ., opened the lodge . Bros . J . Lightfoot , S . AV . ; G . Chapman , J . W . ; G . Bolton , P . M . Treas . ; C . II . Davis , P . M ., Sec ; J . Patte , S . D . ; W . Andrews , J . D . ; Batt , I . G . ; S . Garrett , P . M . T ., were in their places as officers ; and there was a large attendance of the Craft , members of the lodge , and visitors . Among the members

of the lodge were Bros . F . AValters , II . Moore , Wingfield , II . Ellis , Taylor , J . Porter , Smith , Ward , Roberts , Chappell , Shaw , Higgs , and Ponder ; and amongst the visitors , Bros . H . Bagshaw , 51 S , and Wakefield , 54 S . Candidates were ' nofc present at the meeting of the lodge , and the first and second sections of the first degree were worked , the questions being put by the AV . M . and S . D . Messrs . G . Moles and H . M . Goodman were afterwards initiated , and Bro . Smith raised . Tho alterations in

the by-laws were deferred to the next lodge meeting . A notice of motion was given that five guineas be subscribed from the ' lodge fund to the Girls' School , and the lodge was then duly closed . Upwards of thirty brethren sat down to the banquet .

DOAIATIC LODOE ( NO . 177 ) . —Tlie usual meeting of this lodge was held on Friday , the 10 th inst ., at Anderton ' s Hotel , Fleetstreet . Iu the unavoidable absence of the AA ' . M ., in the early part of the evening Bro . Henry Thompson , P . M ., took the chair , supported by Bros . Simpson , S . AV . ; F . AV . Smith , J . W . ; Joseph Smith , P . M . and Treas . ; Carpenter , P . M . ; Brett , P . M . ; Haydon , P . AI . ; Wilson , P . JI . ; Elmes , P . M . and Secretary ; a large number of members , and the following visitors . —Bros . Elgee ,

Enoch ; Harrison , Strong Man ; Kirby , Confidence ; Huggett , Hornsey ; Sloman , Robert Bums ; and Ash . The lodge having been opened , a ballot was taken for several new candidates , which in each case was unanimous . The W . AI . pro lent , then opened the lodge in the second degree , when Bros . Chaplin and Ivnott were questioned ; and their answers being considered satisfactory , the lodge was opened in the third degree , and those brethren were raised to the sublime degree of M . M . Tho lodge

then resumed to the second degree , when Bros . Hickman , Edwards , Iliers , Rutherford , Malcolm , Allen , and George were passed to the second degree . The lodgo was then resumed to the first degree , when Messrs . John Farrow , Robert Branford , and Alio AVood , being the only candidates in attendance , although there were nine on the list , were initialed into the mi-stories and privileges of Freemasonry . The lodge , having

recommended the petition of a brother to tho Board of Benevolence , was closed in due form , and the brethren adjourned for refreshment , to which 62 sat down . On the removal of the cloth , the usual formal toasts were given , Bro . Joseph Smith , P . M ., P . G . Purst ., returning thanks for the toast of " The Earl de Grey and Ripon , and the rest of the Grand Officers . " The AV . M ., in proposing the next toast , the health of their newly initiated brethren , congratulated them on being enrolled

amongst Freemasons ; and he believed they would do honour to the Craft . The newly initiated brethren severally returned thanks for being received into the Order , and trusted they should prove good members of it . Bro . Henry Thompson , I . P . M ., said the W . M . had for a very brief period delegated to him his power , and he would endeavour to make the best use of it by proposing " The Health of Bro . Osborne , W . M ., " under whose auspices the lodge was likelto enjoy a degree of prosperity

y that was almost unparalleled in its history . The kindness and generous feelings of their \ A . M . was known to them all , and he need not say that he was sure the toast would be received with all the honours it deserved . The toast was very cordially received . The W . JI ., in acknowledging the compliment , expressed Ills thanks for the very cordial way in which the toast had been received , and ifc should be his constant study to promote the honour and the best interests of the lodge . Bro . Chas . Sloman ,