Masonic Charities.

house at Clapham-Rise , the maintenance of which was more expensive than the old one had been ; and they consequently ran the risk of having , at some future day , to again bring the number down to sixty-five , if not lower . Bro . Burnes seconded the proposition . Bro . Davies said the funds of the Charity were daily on the increase . They were able to fund £ 1 , 000 a year . The Festival produced on an average £ 1 , 900 each year ; and the cost of the additional five childrenfor whom there was plenty of roomwould not

, , amount to more than £ 100 per annum . He hoped , therefore , the law would be confirmed . Bro . Binckes took the same view ; and added that the new establishment , inasmuch as it was freehold , was less expensive than the old one , and was good value for the money taken from the funds to build it . The minutes were then , by a large majority , confirmed . The report of the Rev . Mr . Glennie , of the Church Diocesan School

Society , was then read , and gave a highly gratifying account of the progress of the children . The treasurer ' s report stated there was a balance of £ 1 , 135 13 s . ] d . in hand , liable to acharge of £ 417 3 s . 3 d ., to defray the tradesmen's bills for the quarter . There was also a charge of £ 23 10 s . 3 d . on the sustentation or building fund . A legacy of £ 25 had been received from the executors of the late Bro . Harraday ; and since January £ 1 , 000 had been added to the amount of the Charity stock , raisingit to £ 11 , 000 . This report was adopted ; and an order made for the payment of all chargesand for the

invest-, ment of £ 500 , agreeably to the recommendation of the general committee . All the candidates , seven in number , were then declared duly elected . It was in the course of the discussion remarked , that no child approved of by the committee had ever failed of obtaining admission to the School , although many had been disappointed at one or more polls . The proceedings were closed with a vote of thanks to the chairman .

ROYAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION . The first monthly allowance of 4 cwt . of coals , and an appropriate quantity of wood , was issued to each of the annuitants in the asylum on the 1 st inst ., and will be continued on the first Thursday in each month during the winter , out of the monies handed over by the stewards at the late festival . At a meeting of the Committee held on the 9 th instant , the following motionproposed by Bro . Warren was carried : — " That a festival

, be held in the course of the year 1858 , on a day to be fixed by the Committee . " An amendment was proposed to the effect that the G . M . be respectfully requested to appoint a festival once in two years , which was negatived . We think it a pity that the Committee should have thus placed themselves in unnecessary antagonism with the G . M ., whose proposal , as contained in Bro . Portal's letter , which will be found under the head of " Correspondence , " seems to us a fair and sensible one .

Colonial.

Colonial .

SECESSION OF THE PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF CANADA WEST . An Especial Meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge was held at Toronto , on Wednesday , the 9 th day of September , 1857 . Present : R . W . Bros . Sir Allan N . Macnab , Bart , P . G . Master , on the Throne ; Thomas G . Ridout , D . G . Master ; V . W . Bros George W . Whitehead , G . S . W . ; John Harding , G . J . W . ; The Rev . Septimus Ramsey , G . Chap . ; Wm . M . Jamieson , G . Treas . ; Nathan

Gatchell , G . Reg . ; Francis Richardson , G . Sec . ; W . Bros . Saml . B . Harman , G S . D . ; William Graham , as G . J . D ; Bro . F . W . Cumberland , G . Supt . Works ; W . Bros . Charles Kahn , Asst . G . D . of Ceremonies ; Thos . Swinarton , G . Sword Bearer ; Bio . H . G . R . Fripp , as G . Organist ; W . Bro . W . H . Weller , as G . Pursuivant ; Bros . A . W . Sims , and J . B . Cherriman , G . S . ; Bro . James Foreman , G . Tyler ; R . W . Bro . Thomas D . Harington , P . G . Master for Quebec and Three Rivers ; W . Bro . William Miller , P . M . Albion Lodge , Quebec ; and Bro . John H . Richey , Past G . Sword Bearer .

Representatives from No . 1 , St . Andrew's Lodge , Toronto—V . W . Bro . F . W . Barron , P . M . ; Bros . Norman Bcthune , S . W . ; and Thomas Ridout , J . W .: No . 3 , St . John ' s Lodge , Kingston—W . Bro . Samuel D . Fowler , P . M . ; Bro . James H . Rowan , S . W .: No . 4 , Belleville Lodge , Belleville—W . Bros . Alfred A . Campbell , J . C . Frank , and F . W . Alport , P . Ms .: No . 5 , St . John ' s Lodge , Cobourg —W . Bro . W . H . Weller , M . : No . 6 , Onion Lodge , Napanee—W . Bros . B . C . Davy , and Wm . Gunn , P . Ms . : No . 7 , Western Light Lodge , Bolton—Bro . Robert Elliot , S . W .: No . 14 , Richmond

Lodge , Richmond Hill—V . W . Bro . David Bridgeford , P . M . : No . 18 , Ionic Lodge , Toronto—W . Bro . William H . Stanton , M . ; Bro . John Blackburn , S . W .: No . 19 , United Lodge , Brighton—W . Bro . J . B . Young , M .: No . 20 , Ontario Lodge , Port Hope—V . W . Bro . Joseph B . Hall , P . M . ; Bro . John Donovan , J . W . : No . 21 , True Briton ' s Lodge , Perth—W . Bros . John Murray , M . ; and Robert Douglas , P . ii .: No . 23 , Corinthian Lodge , Peterborough—W . Bro . D . Sutherland , M . ; V . W . Bro . George Cunningham , P . M . ; Bro . Vincent ClementiS . W .: No 25 Kemptvillc

LodgeKemptville—, , , W . Bros . R . Leslie , and R . Waugh , P . Ms . ; No 28 , Jerusalem Lodge , Bowmanville—W . Bros . R . S . Manning , M . ; and G . H . Low , P . M .: No . 29 , Amity Lodge , Dunnvillo—W . Bro . L . Weatherly , P . M . : No . 30 , Rose Lodge , Sandwich—Bro . W . Mercer , S . W : No . . 32 , Trent Lodge , Trenton—W . Bro . John Powers , M .: No . 33 , Mount Zion Lodge , Borelia—W . Bro . James Baird , P . M .: No . 34 , St . George's Lodge , Gosfield—Bro . John Simons , S . W .: No 35 , Composite Lodge , Whitby—W . Bros . Charles Clark , M . ; and James

Wallace , P . M .: No . 36 , Welland Lodge , Fonthill—W . Bros . Isaac P . Willson , M . ; George Gamble , P . M . ; Bro . Everardo , J . W .: No . 37 , St . George ' s Lodge , London—V . W . Bro . John Harding . P . M .: No . 38 , King Solomon's Lodge , Woodstock—W . Bro . Schuyler D . Brown , M .: No . 39 , Wellington Lodge , Chatham—Bro . E . B . Donelly , S . W .: No . 42 , Madoc Lodge , Madoc—W . Bro . John Francis . M .: No . 43 , Erie Lodge , Morpeth—Bro . Matthew Wilson , J . W . ' : No . 44 , Consecon Lodge , Consecon—W . Bro . Levi C . Bailey , M . : '

No . 45 , Corinthian Lodge , Stanley ' s Mills—W . Bros . C . Burrill , M . ; Joseph Figg , and H . Pearen , P . M . 's : No . 46 , Mirickville Lodge , Mirickville—Bro . George Towner , J . W .: No 47 , Victoria Lodge , Port Sarnia—Bro . James Drake , S . W .: No . 48 , North Gower Lodge , North Gower—Bro . H . Holden , J . W .: No . 49 , Doric Lodge , Ottawa—W . Bro . 'James Wilson , M .: No . 5 U , Corinthian Lodge , Ottawa—W . Bro . W J . B . Mc . I . eod Moore , P . M .: No . 52 , Simcoe LodgeSimcoe—W . Bro . M . H . FoleyM . : No . 53

Dur-, , , ham Lodge , Newcastle—W . Bro . J . P . Lovekin , M . ; Bro . S . Wilmot , J . W .: No . 54 , Stirling Lodge , Stirling—W . Bro . George E . Bull , P . M .: No . 55 , St . John ' s Lodge , Toronto—W . Bro . G . B . Wyllie , M . ; Bros . William Hay , S . AV . ; and David Stirling , J . W .: No . 56 , Oxford Lodge , Woodstock—V . W . Bro . George W . Whitehead , P . M .: No . 57 , Faithful Brethren Lodge , Manilla—Bro . A . Smith , S . W .

Several members of private Lodges were admitted to the G . L . The Provincial Grand Lodge was opened in due form , at Eight o'Clock , P . M ., with solemn prayer . The By-laws and Regulations of the Grand Lodge were read . The minutes of the last half-yearly meeting , holden at Toronto on Tuesday the 30 th day of June , and at which the independence of the P . G . L . was decided upon , were read and confirmed . The Committee—appointed at the last half-yearly Meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge to confer with any Committee that might

be appointed by the self-styled Grand Lodge of Canada , as per Resolution No . 6 . for the purpose of endeavoring to arrange terms of union between the two Grand Lodges—reported their minutes , which were received and unanimously adopted ; and by which it appeared that they were unable to effect the desired union , owing to the proposals of the self-styled Grand Lodge , amounting simply 'to the Prov . G . L . being admitted into the G . L . of Canada at its next regular Annual Communication , rather than the fusion of the now existing separate bodies . "

The R . W . the Prov . Grand Master was then pleased to address the Grand Lodge as follows : — " The Prov . Grand Lodge of Canada West having now declared its independence , I , as the representative of the Most Worshipful the Grand Master of England , now direct and require , that every Master or Delegate , holding any warrant of a Lodge from the Grand Lodge of England , do now return the same to me , in accordance with the suggestion of the Grand Master of England , contained in his address to the Grand Lodge on the 4 th of March last . "

Whereupon the Warrants of the following Lodges were handed to the R . W . Prov . Grand Master , by the Masters or Delegates of their respective Lodges : — " No . 1 , St . Andrew's Lodge , Toronto ; No . 3 , St . John ' s Lodge , Kingston ; No . 4 , Belleville Lodge , Belleville ; No . 5 , St . John's Lodge , Cobourg ; No . 6 , Union Lodge , Napanee ; No . 7 , Western Light Lodge , Bolton ; No . 14 , Richmond Lodge , Richmond Hill ( Dis . ); No . 18 Ionic LodgeToronto ; No . 19 United Lod

, , , ge , Brighton ; No . 20 , Ontario Lodge , Port Hope ; No . 21 , True Britons' Lodge , Perth ; No . 25 , Kemptville Lodge , Kemptville ; No . 28 , Jerusalem Lodge , Bowmanville ; No . 29 , Amity Lodge , Dunnville ; No . 30 , Rose Lodge , Sandwich ; No . 32 , Trent Lodge , Trenton ; No . 33 , Mount Zion , Borelia ; No . 34 , St . George's Lodge , Gosfield ; No . 35 , Composite Lodge , Whitby ; No . 36 , Welland Lodge , Font-