Grand Lodge Of England.

Board of Benevolence for the last quarter , m which are recommendations for nine grants of sums varying between amounts of £ 30 and £ 100 to distressed brethren and others . Tho following is the text of the report of the board of general purposes : — " The Board of General Purposes bog to submit a statement of the Grand Lodge accounts at the last meeting of the

finance committee , held on Friday , the 12 th day of February instant , showing a balance in the hands of the Grand Treasurer of £ 1 , 939 18 s . 7 d ., and iu the hands of the Grand Secretary , for petty cash , £ 30 . " The following is the text of the report of the building committee : — "The building committee beg to report that , in

obedience to the instructions given by the last Grand Lodge , they have reconsidered the question of rents of the various lodge rooms , and they submit the following resolution , viz .: — 'That the rent of the Dalhousie and Muira Lodge Rooms be reduced to one guinea each for eich meeting , such reduction to take place from the 1 st January , 18 G 9 . ' The committee think it

right to refer to a misapprehension which appears to be very general , not only amongst the public , but amongst the craft iu the provinces and colonies , with reference to the uses of ' Freemasons' Hall . ' This misapprehension has arisen from the fact that advertisements and placards are continually appearing , which state that certain meetings , dinners , & c , unconnected with Freemasonry will take place at'Freemasons' Hull . ' The committee beg it to bo understood that no such meetings ever

take place in Freemasons' Hall , which , with all its lodge rooms , offices , & c , is entirely devoted to Masonic purposes . The meetings in question take place at the tavern adjoining , which , although it is the property of the Society , is entirely separate from TFreemasons' Sail , and is let on lease to a company , who are bound by the tenure of their lease to adopt some name for their tavern which shall be unconnected with Freemasonry , —one of

the great objects in building a new hall being to provide a proper and dignified home for English Freemasonry which should be entirely unconnected with tavern or tavern influences . The committee cannot refrain from again calling attention to the library and coflee-rcom ; they believe that the present paucity of subscribers can arise only from the fact that it is not

generally known that the brethren have , within t ' . ' . eir own building , almost all the comforts and conveniences of a club , without the payment of any entrance fee , and at the cost of one guinea per annum . The committee have invited some influential brethren , who are experienced in such matters , to act as a library and coffee-room committee ; and if this arrangement

should be satisfactory , the committee will submit to Grand Lodge a resolution authorizing- such brethren to act as a library and coffee-room committee . " The report of committee on fund of benevolence will also conic up . It contains several suggested alterations in the laws relating to this fund . The following proprsed motions will also come up for

discussion : — By Bro . Brnekstone Baker , P . G . S . and P . M . 21 . 1 . — "The buildings in connection with the Freemasons' Hall being now completed , and the old hall repaired and redecorated , ' That a committee of members of Grand Lodge bo appointed to consider and report upon a suitable recognition of the eminent services rendered to the craft by the chairman and his colleagues

of the building committee . '" By Bro . John Symonds , P . Assist . G . Dir . of Cers . 2 . — "To amend law 7 , pages 19 and 20 , by omitting tbe words 'for quarterly communication ; ' also by stiiking out the word 'September , ' and substituting 'October . '

Grand Lodge Of England.

"To amend law G , page 106 , by inserting after the words ' third Tuesday in every month , ' the words ' ( August excepted ) . '" " That the board of general purposes be authorised to make such verbal alterations in other laws as may be necessary to give effect to tho preceding resolutions . " By Bro . Joshua Sunn , P . M ., 134 .

3 . — ' - That provided the resolution proposed by the committee on the fund of benevolence to replace the last paragraph of _ N o . G Fund of Benevolence ( in the Book of Constitutions ) be passed by grand lodge . " To move"That the form of the certificate required to be sent to the lodge of benevolence with all petitions ( and to be signed by the visitor , a member of the lodge , or some other 'brother ) he referred back to the said committee on the fund of benevolence for details

and adjustment . By Bro . G . King , P . M ., 172 . i : — "That a proportionate reduction be made in the whole of the lodge rooms used for lodge purposes , as well as Dalhousie and Moira . "

By Bro . Joseph Smith , P . G . P . 5 . —" That as the present qualification for the Charity Jewel acts adversely to the interests of the 'Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution tor Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , ' it is expedient that the privilege of wearing the same be extended , and that brethren having served as stewards to the festival of any two of the Masonic institutions be entitled to

wear such jewel ; and that brethren serving the office for the three institutions be entitled also to wear a clasp on the ribbon by which such jewel is suspended . " By Bro . William Smith , CM ., P . G . S ., W . M . 1 , 238 . 6 . — "That the sum of one hundred guineas be contributed from the funds of Grand Lodge towards furnishing , through the National Life Boat Institution , a life boat , to be called tha ' Masonic lifo boat , ' for which purpose a number of donations have been received . "

Metropolitan.

METROPOLITAN .

ST . GEORGE ' S AND CORNER STONE ( So . 5 ) . —This lodge held its usual meeting at the Freemason ' s Tavern , on tho Sth inst . The business was the installation of the newly-elected W . M . The ceremony of installing Bro . W . M . Richardson was creditably performed by I . P . M . Hale , assisted by tho following P . M . ' s of the lodge , —Bros . J . Havers , P . G . W . ; E . J . Snell , P . G . D . ; A . Perkins , P . G . W . ; B . Head , P . G . D . ; W . Farufield . P . A . G . S . ; W . Moore , P . M . ; aud many others . After some

discussion upon one or two Masonic matters , the brethren adjourned to banquet . The usual loyal toasts were proposed and received with much enthusiasm , as were also the Masonic . Perhaps that which met with most marked reception was the " Visitors , " to which Bro . Moore , the Grand Chaplain , replied . The toast of the "Charities" was also received with loud applause . Amongst the visitors were Bros . Hall , P . G . M ., of Cambrid DobsonDPGMof KentMooreGChap

ge ; , ...., ; , . . ; Major Creaton , P . G . D . ; A . W . Wood , G . D . C ; W . Young , P . G . S . B . ; and Dr . J . J . Pope , P . M . CONSTITUTIONAL LODGE ( Xo . 55 ) . —A meeting of this old and influential lodge was held at Cannon-street Terminus Hotel , ou the 18 th inst . Bros . , 1 . Gilruth , the courteous W . M . opened the lodge at thro o'clock in due form . The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmedlikewise the minutes of the

, audit meeting . The lodge was llu-n opened in the second degree , when Bros . G . Imrie , A . Dickerson , . 1 . Elridg-e , and S . Powneeby , after answering the usual questions in this degree , were raised to tho degree of M . M . The lodge being lowered to the second degree , Bro . Straugham was passed to the degree of F . C . Tho lodge was ( hen resumed to the first degree , and Mr . II . Marston being regularly proposed and approved , was then initiated into-