Mark Masonry.

G . Assist . Dir . of Cers . ; Jesse Turner , G . Insp . of AA'orks ; Charles Swan , G . S . B . ; Water Lean , as G . I . G . ; G-. AA . Mobbs , Old Kent Lodge , E . S . Stillwell , Mallet and Chisel Lodge ( No . 5 ) , S . D . Forbes , Carnarvon . Lodge ( No . 62 ) , G . Stewards . The following Past Grand Officers— "V . AV . Bros . Revs . D . Shaboe and J . G . Wood , P . G . Chaps . ; AV . Bros . E . L . Bagshawe , P . G . Dir . of Cers . ; H . AV . Spratt and E . L . Nolan , P . G . Insps . of Works ; R .. Spencer P . G . Steward ; with many Masters , Past Masters ,

Wardens , and Overseers of private lodges , and several visiting brethren . Grand Lodge having been opened in ample form , with solemn prayer , The G . DIE . or GEES , called upon the brethren to salute the M . W . G . M ., which was done . The G . MASTER invited AV . Bros . G . Lamb , W . M . Lodge No . 34 and Ph . Bichard LodNo . 34 ( I . C . ) to take their

, ge , seats on the dais . The G . Din . OP CEES . called upon the brethren to salute the M . AV . G . M . and the Grand Lodge of Ireland in proper form , which was done . The minutes of the half-yearly communication held on Wednesday , the 10 th of June ult ., were read . On being put for confirmation , Bro . J . H . AVYSSE ( Old Kent Lodge ) rose and inquired ifb

, y confirming the minutes , they would sanction the whole of the suggested alterations in the "Book of Constitutions , " to one of which he had strong objections . The M . AV . G . MASTEE ., with a view to obviate any difficulty on this point , would suggest a vote on the confirmation of the minutes , with the exception of that portion of them referring to tho Constitutions , leaving the various alterations for after discussion .

With this exception the minutes were confirmed . Letters regretting their unavoidable absence were read from Bros . Alscount Holmesdale , M . P ., M . AV . G . M ., and the Right Hon . Lord Leigh , Past M . AV . G . M ., and several Grand Officers and Past Grand Officers .

The GBAXD SECEETAE'S read the reply of Mrs . Jones to tbe letter of condolence from Grand Lodge , on the death of A \\ A . Bro . Dr . Jones , late Grand Treasurer , which was ordered to be entered on the minutes . The report of the General Board was read , received , and ordered to be entered on the minutes , as follows : — In presenting their report , the General Board cannot refrain from expressing their gratificationwhich tliey are sure will be

, shared by every member of the Craft , at their at length being enabled to meet in a suitable building and with accommodation befitting the dignity of a Supreme Masonic body . They have every cause to give their approval to the arrangements provided for the reception of this Grand Lodge . The possession of a fitting hall , such as that in which they are now assembled , must of necessity greatly conduce to the interests aud prosperity of

all those branches of our ancient institution unrecognised by the United Grand Lodge of England , and for which no suitable place of meeting has hitherto been specially appropriated . Since the last half-yearly communication , 135 certificates have been issued , but this by no means affords an accurate estimate of the spread of the degree , as the Board have to remark with regret upon the absence of tho returns from many flourishing lodgesproductive of much inconvenienceand of

, , positive injustice to the Executive in the withholding of monies the property of Grand Lodge . During the same period applications with reference to the issue of new warrants have heen received from Liverpool , Norwich , Walsall , Maidstone , and Birmingham , and from Smyrna and Canada , showing an increasing appreciation of the importance of the Mark Degree . The Board recommend Grand Lodge lo authorise tbe

Executive to secure accommodation in the new premises provided by the Masonic Union Company , Limited , at No . 14 , Bedford-row , for the transaction of official business , and for the meetings of Grand Lodge on sucb reasonable terms as may be arranged . Revised proofs of the " Book of Constitutions , " embodying the alterations and additions submitted to the half-yearly com ° - munication in . Tune last , have been sent to all the lodges under this jurisdiction , in accordance with the instructions then given bv the M . AV . G . M .

( Signed ) Q . R . POETAI , 3 rd December , 1863 . Vice-President . The suggested alterations in the "Book of Constitutions " were then considered seriatim , the Grand Secretary having first

informed Grand Lodge , that a copy of the old "Book of Constitutions , " with a revised proof copy of the new , had been sen to every lodge under this Constitution , and that he had re ceived letters from the W . Masters of the Cheltenham and Key Stone Lodge ( No . 10 ) , Cheltenham ; Russell Lodge ( No . 23 ) Tavistock ; Sincerity Lodge ( No . 35 ) , Plymouth ; Britannia Lodge ( No . 53 ) , Sheffield ; entirely approving of the revised Constitutions—and from the AV . M ., Gibraltar Lodge ( No . 43 ) ,

Gibraltar , approving thereof , but suggesting that it should no longer be required as a qualification for the office of W . M . of a Mai-k Lodge , that a brother to he eligible thereto must have previously occupied the chair of a Craft Lodge , as in the colonies it was extremely difficult to obtain eligible Masters so qualified ; also from Bro . AV . Cooke , AA . M ., Fearnley Lodge ( No . 58 ) , Halifax , urging the same view on similar grounds—proposing that the Overseers in Grand Lodge and in Private Lodges

should take rank immediately after AVardens—and objecting to the term " regular " applied to meetings of lodges , as excluding " Lodges of Emergency , " his opinion being that " regular " lodge meetings , meant only those meetings fixed by the bylaws . The suggested amendments numbered 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 12 , 13 , and 16 , referred merely to the re-arrangement of grand officers , and constituent members of Grand Lodge with the rules and

regulations as to their respective duties , and were unanimously adopted . Amendment No . 6 , providing that tbe Board of Masters should meet on the Thursday next before that immediately preceding the meeting of Grand Lodge , was adopted . Amendment 7 , involved simply the expunging of a superfluous article—agreed to . Amendment No . 8 providing for the nomination of Grand

, Master in December , and the election in June , instead of the nomination taking place at the Board of Masters in May , was adopted . Amendment No . 9 , limiting the duration of office of Grand Master to three years , . the retiring Grand Master not to be eligible for re-election until after an interval of one year , was adopted . Amendment No . 10 , providing for the issue of voting papers at

the election of Grand Master , thereby enabling brethren in the provinces to record their votes without imposing upon them the necessity of a journey to London , was then submitted . Bro . J . H . WTSSS , as he had previously stated , objected to this innovation and should give ib his most determined opposition . The old method of election had worked well in tbe United Grand Lodge of England , and he saw no reason why it should be departed from in the Mark Grand Lodge . He

moved the rejection of the proposition . No one seconding the motion , the proposed alteration was adopted with one dissentient . Amendment No . 11 , verbally re-arranging the clause referring to the Grand Registrar having charge of those provinces for which n , Provincial Grand Master shall not have been appointed , was approved . Amendment No . 14 , increasing the number of Grand Stewards

from six to eight , and providing for tbeir election by four London lodges , and by four Provincial Grand Lodges , both in rotation , was approved . Amendment No . 15 , embracing the appointment of Provincial Grand Masters and the organisation of Provincial Grand Lodges , was approved , with the exception of that portion which precluded the re-appointment of a Provincial Grand Master on the expiry of his term of three yearsuntil after an interval

, of one year . This limitation was withdrawn on the forcible representations urged against it by AV . Bro . Frank Haes , on behalf of the colonies , as delegate from the Lodge No . 25 , Sydney ; and by R . W . Bro . John Barker , J . G . AV ., E . AA . Bro Rev . John Huyshe , Prov , G . M . Devon ( who had requested the * Grand Secretary to communicate his opinions to Grand Lodge ) , by Bro . Colonel Cole , C . B ., and others .

The Cx . REGISTEAE hoped that when in air * province there did exist several eligible brethren , fresh nominations w-ould from time to time be made . Recognising , however , the difficulty in many provinces of finding at all times brethren fitted by position and influence for the well-ruling of a province , he would move the withdrawal of the clause . The clause was withdrawn . On the proposition of the AV . MASTEES of the Gibraltar and Fearnley Lodges being put , having reference to the qualifications of brethren eligible for the office of AV . Master of a Mark Lodge ,. the G . SECEETAEY said he felt it necessary before Grand