Report Of Grand Lodge.

Bro . Beach , P . Prov . G . W . for Oxford , seconded the amendment , which was put and carried with the consent of Bro . the Earl of Carnarvon .

THE CHARITY JEWEL . Bro . Henry George Warren moved a resolution " That the Charity Jewel , now conferred on Brethren who had served as Stewards to the Girls' and Boys' School , should be so extended as to include the Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and their Widows , so that Brethren serving as Stewards at the festivals of any two of the charities should be entitled to wear the medal , and those who served the three Stewardships should be further entitled to wear a clasp on

the ribbon by which the medal was suspended . " He said , he thought that the Brethren served the other charities to the neglect of the Benevolent Institution , because it gave no decoration or honour which could be shown to the world . As far as ho was personally concerned , he considered such matters of but little importance ; but in making this motion he felt sure that he should carry the feelings of the majority of the Brethren with him , and he hoped that he should be supported by the Grand Lodge . Bro . Percy Wells seconded the motion .

Bro . Harvey said , this motion is to provide , that Brethren serving the office of Steward to any two of the charities shall be allowed to wear the Charity Jewel . Such a motion , I think , is pregnant with mischief to the Boys' and Girls' School . As chairman of the committee of the Boys' School , I must beg to enter my protest against it . We all know that the Girls' Charity is the pot Charity of the Craft . There is no necessity to plead the cause of that Charity , but with regard to the Boys' School , it is more difficult to obtain supporters ;

and if this motion is agreed to , I do despair of that Charity being successfully carried on I have no objection to accord a clasp to those Brethren who have served the stewardship three charities , but as for pitting one charity against another , I must say that I should regret to see such a result take place . It may not be known to the members of the Grand Lodge generally , how this Charity Jewel was appropriated to the Girls' and Boys' Schools . It is about fourteen years ago , in the year 183 G or 1837 . that the Grand Stewards for the year , having a considerable surplus in hand , presented the die for

this jewel , which jewel belongs exclusively to the two Charities . There are two dies : one is appropriated to the Craft at large , and the other to these two Schools : and I do not see how they can be alienated . I have supported the Charity whose cause Bro . Warren has advocated , and I am sorry to say that that Charity is not well supported ; but I do trust that the times are mending , and that it will flourish as well as the other two . The comparatively small success of the charity I can only attribute to the fact , that the Brethren are not fully aware of the claims which it has upon their

sympathy . I oppose the motion of my Bro . Warren , because I think it is inimical to the interests of the Charity which I have alluded to , and I do not think it will be beneficial to the third Charity . A Brother , whose name wo did not catch , supported the motion , On the ground that any measure of an unquestionable character ought to be sanctioned by Gravid Lodge , when known to be conducive to the welfare of any of their charities . The question was then put and carried . "

STRANGERS AT THE BANQUETS . Bro . H . G . Warren moved , "That no person other than a member of the Craft be permitted to dine with the Brethren at any Masonic festival . He said that his object was to prevent gentlemen of the Music d Profession , not being members of the Order , from dinmg with the BiHuren , as they were liable , under such circumstances , to be mistaken for members of the Craft , and therefore , - the Brethren not being on their guard , they might illegitimately become possessed of some of the Secrets of the Order . " ( Hear , hear )

Bro . Binckes seconded the motion , and asked the Grand Master to decide -.- ' nether it would exclude the ladies . Bro . Warren : Ladies are not in the habit of dining at our festivals . Bro . Smith , G . P ., thought that , if it excluded the ladies , it was decidedly objectionable . Bro . Col . Burlton said , that , while Prov . Grand Master of Bengal , he laid s : it down at a Masonic festival with the Bishop of Calcutta , and : t number of distinguished gentlemen , including the bishop ' s chaphhi . who were not Masons ; but they dined with them , and

preaeiu-d to them , and participated in their banquets . In fact , he did n , . ; ee that there was anything which constituted a necessary porti' ,- ! ¦ ¦( their banquets to which strangers could not be admitted . Bn- Warren : " Bro . Burlton , whatever his experience may be , in India . smears to know nothing of the state of things which exists in EngV ,. i . " Br ; . B . irlton : ' I beg your pardon , Bro . Warren . " ( Laughter . ) Bn VCin-eu : " It has been laid down as a principle , that none but Mas' ) --- . uinld be present at our banquets , and therefore , I maintain , that' v introducing singers , or any one else , in fact , who is not a Maso , we violate the principle which the Grand Master has laid

down . If we may have singers , why may we not have other persons ? There are many of us who could bring gentlemen who would be ready enough to put down their one guinea , or even their ton guirieasffor our charities , who are nevertheless not members of our Order . Let us either confine ourselves to Brethren of the Order , or admit , indiscriminately , those whom the Brethren may think proper to invite . On one occasion , Bro . Baldwin , J . G . W ., the proprietor of the Morning Herald , sent a gentleman attached to the parliamentary corps of that journal , in order to report the proceedings . That gentleman was not

a Mason , and he was very properly , as I think , refused admission . ( Loud cries of " Hear ! " ) But as I did the business for him , the Charity sustained no loss . " ( Cries of " Hear ! " and laughter . ) A short discussion ensued , in which a Brother suggested , that as the strangers were not in Masonic clothing , that ought to be sufficient to put the Brethren on their guard . Some of the Brethren , however , contended that it was not sufficient , and that no gentleman who was not a Mason should be admitted on such occasions , because there was a great probability thatin the freedom of conversation which was

, carried on among the Brethren , such strangers might become illegitimately possessed of the secrets of their order ; and that , with reference the ladies , the same objection could not be urged , because they were placed in the gallery , and therefore sufficiently remote to prevent their either hearing or seeing anything which ought to bo kept from them . The question was then put and lost .

THE TEMPLE "FOR A MUSIC ROOM . Bro . Warren moved , " That henceforth the use of the Temple be granted to the Stewards of the four Masonic festivals for a music-room at the conclusion of such festivals . " He said , in bringing forward this motion , I am actuated by the pure motive of benefitting our festivals . If we are to have singing after our festivals , I think we ought to have a suitable place in which that singing can bo enjoyed . Now , I am sure that no one here will contend that our present Glee-room is a proper place for music . The Glee-room at present used is totally

inadequate to the purposes , serving only to remind us of the Black-hole in Calcutta ; is only calculated for the accommodation of some seventy or eighty ; and yet double and treble that number are often crowded into it ; so that the atmosphere is indeed insupportable . If gentlemen are to bring ladies to our festivals , and join them afterwards in the Glee-room , I think we ought to have some proper place to which to take them . I wish the Temple to be appropriated to these uses at the Masonic festivals , and at the Masonic festivals only . To such use of the room , I confess I eau see no objection whatever .

Bro . Pettat seconded the motion . Bro . Masson opposed it , and said , that the place had been duly consecrated to Masonry , and it had hitherto been restricted for the purposes of Masonry alone . The late Duke of Sussex had expressed himself to a similar effect . He regretted that the Grand Registrar was not there in order that he might give them some particulars of its dedication , which would confirm what he was saying . Bro . Binckes said , that some time ago , he had occasion to investigate this subject , but he found no record of anything of the kind to which Bro Masson had alluded . In the calendar to which they were accustomed to look as a record of the principal events in Masonry ,

they had a record of the dedication of the Great Hall , which was used for all sorts of purposes —( hear , hear)—and no great harm either . ( Hear , hear . ) But there was no record of a similar dedication of the Temple , and if as he thought the proposed measure would promote the prosperity of our festivals , and thereby extend the success of our Charities , he could see no objection to the motion . He trusted , therefore , that it would be allowed to be carried . Bro . Masson said , that he wished to keep to what was right , and that if Bro . Binckes felt any disposition to continue his investigations ,

he could assist him and set him right on this point . Several Bretheen then bore testimony to the insufficiency of the accommodation afforded by the present Glee-room . Bro . White , Grand Secretary , read a paper which he had found some time ago amongst the documents of our late Grand Master his Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex . It consisted , as we understood , of an address delivered on the occasion of the dedication of the Temple by our late Grand Master . It was to the following effect : —That that was no ordinary occasion which called them together for the first

time to assemble in their large Temple . It was always his object to have a Temple for these purposes to which the profane might not be admitted ; and in order that everything might be done with regularity . His Royal Highness went on to say , that he was of opinion that the place should be opened with such , solemnity , that when the Brethren assembled therein , they should feel that they were in Grand Lodge properly dedicated , close tyled , and that nothing which was said or done could be seen or heard by the profane . ( Loud cries of " Divide , divide ! " ) Owing to the confusion which prevailed , and the impatience of the Brethren , it was impossible to catch , verbatim , the extract which Bro . White read in a verv inaudible tone .