Craft Masonry.

which had been opened in the first degree , proceeded to the . transaction of the ordinary aud special business for which it had been convened . The minutus of tho two proceeding meetings of tlie Prov . Grand Lodge , field in May , I 860 , and May , 1870 , were . read by tho Prov . G . Secretary , and continued . Some discussion arose upon a question as to whether fees due from lodges should be paid by the quarter or for the whole year .

_ The Prov . G . Master said that unquestionably by the constitutions the payments should be made b y the quarter , but he put it to tlie lodges whether they would act in so objectionable a manner as to return only a portion of a year ' s fees for any member . The question having been briefly ventilated , the members of the two objecting lodges said they were satisfied , and the fees of the year should be ' paid .

. The I ' rov . G . Secretary , Bro . T . S . Bayley , brought up his report of the state of the finances . Tliis showed a balance brought forward from last year of . 6115 5 s 7 d ; to dues from 39 lodge * , £ 12112 s 6 d ' ¦ fees of honour , £ 38 6 s 6 d ; another return , £ 12 19 s ; interest , £ 3 2 s Gd ! total , 291 6 s Id . Payments , £ 110 5 s 2 d , leaving a balance of £ 181 Os lid . On the motion of BroDennis MooreRDProvGMthe

. , . . .., accounts weare approved and carried ; but Bro . Gower having objected to the accounts being brought up and carried without "being audited , the Prov . G . Master said that auditors could not be appointed without previous notice being given for the passing of such a law .

Bro . Latimer said lie had seen systems of an audit work well elsewhere , and he would give notice of amotion to be brought before tlie next meeting of the Prov Grand Lodge , for tlie appointment of two auditors to audit the next year's accounts . Tl-. e Prov , Grand Master said that lie had attended the meeting of the Prov . Grand Lodge of Cornwall , at Truro , on Tuesday , with Bro . Latimer , and they saw there that the accounts were audited and signed bthe auditorswhose names were

y , . printed witli the accounts . It was an excellent plan . Bro . Metham , D . Prov . G . M ., read the report of the Committee of petitions , which congratulatod them on the success of their movement , as they hud succeeded in carrying their 2 candidates in the Aged Freemasons' Institution and the Girls' School . The report urged the lodges to decided union , as the voting papers of 16 lodges hod not been received ; if they had it would have saved them

from borrowing 100 votes . It also stated that they had granted £ 5 to tlie widow of tlie late Bro . Poot ; and recommended 'he Grand Lodge to give £ 10 to the crippled daughter of another late brother . The report was then received , and unanimously agreed to , and the commit to requested to continue their services till the next Grand Lodge . Bro . Dennis Moore then stated that this province had received

gieit assistance from the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , and from the Widows' Fund , and he should therefore move that 20 guineas be voted to each of those institutions . Bro . C ' o'ld , P . M ., seconded the motion , and it was carried

unanimously . On the motion of Bro . Dennis Moore , Bro . John Sharland , the AV . Master of the new lodgo ( Xo . 1 , 125 ) at Tiverton , was elected the Prov . Grand Treasurer for the year ensuing . A proposal to elect one of the members of the southern lodges failed , because it was shown that , out of ten treasurers elected , seven of them had eome from the three towns . The Prov . Grand Master then brought forward the following

proposed now by-law , of which he had given notice at the Prov . Grand Lulge at Topsham , on the 31 st of May last : — " Every lodge in this province shall pay to the funds of the Provincial Grand Lodge , for and on behalf of each member thereof , the sum of sixpence per quarter , or two shillings annually ; such payment to commence from the first day of January , 1870 . " In moving this law , the R . AA . speaker , said he believed the province of Devon was the only province in England where only

one shilling is paid to the Provincial Grand Lodge . In Cornwall , West York , North and East York , and Herefordshire , they each paid 2 s . yearly , and in the last province they paid an extra shilling . In East Lancashire , Warwickshire , Leicestershire , Bristol , and Somerset , 2 s . was paid , but in Devon only one shilling . He bad not returns from all tlio provinces in England , but as far as returns went , Devon stood at the very bottom of the list . This explained to him why so many taunts were thrown at him in London about their province . They stood very well in their payments to the Benevolent Fund , but taking Masonic charities in genera ] , they were at the bottom of the list . When

at the Grand Lodge at Truro on Tuesday , lie found that they never paid less than 2 s . ; and many contemplated contributing Is . more . They say that Masonry is a charitable institution , an institution based on charity . The R . W . brother , after some further arguments in favour of his motion , read an excellent letter which ho had received from Bro . ~ W . . T . Hughan , the Prov . Grand Secretary of Cornwall , who stated that all the provinces with which he was acquainted paid 2 s . a year for

charitable purposes to their provincial lodges , and he was surprised to find that Devon should only pay half that sum . The Prov . Grand Master concluded by moving the resolution . Bro . Capt . Tanner Davy seconded the motion . A discussion ensued , and the proposition was opposed by Bros . AVatts and Gover , who stated that the lodges contributed large sums for charitable purposes , besides the subscription , to the Grand Lodge . The discussion was continued by other

brethren , all of whom spoke in favour of the motion , and the feeling of the lodge was demonstrated iu favour of the motion in a very decided manner . The D . Prov . G . M-, Bro . Metham , then supported the motion in an eloquent and able speech , in which he adduced a number of statistics to prove how necessary it is that Devou should bear a better proportion of tlie burthen which ought to attach to it in respect to the maintenance of tlie Masonic institutions .

He said , " There is one fact which cannot be contradicted , that our Province does not subscribe as it ought to the great Masonic charities . AA e have had 14 annuitants on the funds of the Aged Freemasons' Institution during the last tcu years , to whoso support the entire Province has not contributed a year and a half ' s pay . To the boys' school , we have , as a Province , given nothing , although we have always had boys there—during the last 10 years , we had for four years three boys , for three years four boys , and for the remaining three years two boys , costing the Charity in 10 years £ 1 , 600 , to which the lodges and individual members contributed onlv £ 450—little more than a

quarter . In the girls' school we have only seven votes , although we have had six girls there during the last ten years , the contributions being less than to the boys' school . Scarcely more than a third of the lodges subscribe to either Charity . There is but one annual subscriber to the Aged Institution recorded in the last report , eight or ten to the boys' school , and only three or four to the girls' school . The proposed resolution suggests an easy way of making up this great Jeiicieney . It is

but a very trifling sum to pay , and it is necessitated by the everincreasing list of candidates , which must increase instead of diminish owing to the indiscriminate admissions made during the last few years by many of our lodges . Men without means have been admitted without question , and , for years to come , they , their widows and orphans , will come to us ' for relief , and we must admit their claims . I believe , he added in conclusion , you will carry this resolution by an immense majoritfor the

y , vindication and advancement of Masonic principles . I do believe that we have too much pride to shirk the responsibility on to the shoulders of our neighbours of maintaining our aged aud distressed brethren , who are our brothers by a double tie , their widows and their orphans . I believe you will not , like tlie Pharisee and the publican , pass hy those of our unhappy brethren who , less fortunate than ourselves , have laid thein down to die by tbe roadside of life ; that you will not leave it to strangers

to bind up their wounds and to pour in oil and wine , but that you will yourselves minister to their comfort and their wants . I believe that in the dark hour of a brother's need you will raise them foot to foot , and heart to heart , to a re-union with the former companions of their toils , and if their hour has come to them , as it roust come to all—that still darker hour when they must pass through the gloomy portals of death—I know you will not leave them then ; that yon will not content yourselves with crying , alas ! my brother ! alas ! my brother ! but that you will whisper into tlio dying ear , " Leave thy fatherless children . to me , I will protect them alive , and let your widows trust in me . "

Tho motion was then put to the lodge and carried unanimously , and amidst much applause . Bro . Metham , D . Prov . G . M ., next moved that 20 guineas bo voted for the Boys' School and 20 guineas for the Girls ' School .

Bro . John AAay seconded the motion , and it was carried unanimously . Bro . Samuel Jones moved that 20 guineas bo voted to tho Fortescue Annuity Fund . This was also agreed to , and some matters relating to the re-