Grand Lodge.

making this motion , it is due to you that I should explain my reasons , for taking this course . It has been suggested that this is not a pure Masonic vote ( Hear , hear ) , inasmuch as it is is not limited to the relief of our suffering Brethren in India . ( Hear , hear . ) I shall therefore now state the reasons why I think it right that yon should a ° ree to the vote in its present form . You are all aware of the munificent subscription which has been made both here and in foreign countries to the enormous amount of nearly £ 300 , 000 for the relief of our suffering fellow-countrymen in IndiaNow we wo have in India

. a largo number of Brethren , sufferers from the revolt . These will all derive assistance from that subscription , which , as I have already stated , has been made both here and in foreign countries . It therefore does appear to me more in accordance with charity , more liberal , and , at the same time , more frugal , to add our contribution to the general fund , as our Brethren will largely benefit from the munificence of others . ( Hear , hear . ) We should not , I think , act a selfish partbut act that part which I now . The course

, generous propose which I intend to pursue is this . We have not in Freemasonry a machinery capable of distributing so large a sum over so wide an area as that formed by our suffering Brethren in India ; and therefore it is impossible that the vote could be confined to the relief of Masons only . The General Fund , on the contrary , is already under such a good system of management , that it secures the greatest amount of good with the least amount of inconvenience . The subscriptions already entered into will be participated in by our Brethrenand

, therefore by not confining our contribution to one particular section of the sufferers , we shall do the greatest good to our own Brethren . ( Hear , hear . ) I am quite sure that is the best thing we can do . Another objection I heard urged to the vote , that it is not Masonic , but , on the contrary , unjust to vote away the Fund of Benevolence for any other purpose than the relief of distressed Masons or their families . In answer to that objection , all I have to say is , that we are not at all touching the Fund of Benevolence . ( Hear , hear . ) It

is not from the Fund of Benevolence , but from the Fund of General Purposes , that I propose the money should be paid . I hope I have said enough to show that this vote'is a proper vote for Grand Lodge to come to . The motion I have to propose is this : —" That , taking into consideration the numerous murders and barbarities committed by the Sepoys of Bengal upon the British inhabitants , and the great extent of distress and misery entailed upon their families , distress and suffering scarcelparalleled in historythis Grand Loddo

y , ge grant the sum of £ 1000 , to be paid out of the Fund of General Purposes in aid of the Voluntary Fund now in the course of formation for the relief of the sufferers . " Bro . the EARL of DURHAM , G . S . W . seconded the proposition which was then put from the chair and carried by an overwhelming majority , only four or five hands being held up against it .

AMERICA . A letter from the M . W . Grand Master of Massachusetts , addressed to the M . W . Grand Master of England and his reply , were then read and entered on the minutes . CANADA . A memorial , addressed to the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England , from " the Ancient Grand Lodge of Canada" signed " Allan NMacntbPGM" was next laid before

, . ., ..., the Grand Lodge . It will be found in extenso under our Canadian intelligence . The GRAND REGISTRAR moved that the communication be received and entered on the minutes , but thought in a matter of so much importance the action of Grand Lodge should remain unfettered until they might receive some further information respecting it . W . Bro ., the Eev . G . R . PORTAL , had great pleasure in seconding the motionUnder the extremelpainful circumstances of the case

. y , they would , he thought , best consult the interest of the Craft by delaying all further action until they had fuller information than they at present possessed . W . Bro . BINCKES suggested that the communication should be printed and circulated among the Brethren before the next meeting ofG . L ., as it was impossible to form an adequate opinion upon it merely from hearing it read . The GRAND REGISTRAR assented to this suggestion . The motion

was then agreed to . HOOK OF CONSTITUTIONS . The GRAND REGISTRAR , in moving the following alterations in the Book of Constitutions , said , they were the substance of the recommendations made to Grand Lodge in March last ; and as the subject matter of them had been already debated , all Grand Lodge had now to do was to sanction them . The alterations were then moved and carried . —" After Art . 26 , at page 05 , to add , ' In order to avoid delay , and for the

accommodation of Lodges in tiie Colonies and foreign parts for which a Provincial Grand Master is appointed , those Lodges may make their returns and payments to the Provincial Grand Master or such Brother as he may direct , but for the due remittance of which to the Grand Lodge the Provincial Grand Master shall be personally responsible ; which Provincial Grand Master is thereupon to deliver Grand Lodge Certificates , which will be furnished to him for the purpose , and which Certificates are to be countersigned as specified at page 85 . ' " When a return and payment has so been made to a Provincial

Grand Master , or other Brother on his behalf , the Lodge making the same shall forthwith transmit to the Grand Secretary , in London , a duplicate of the return , signed by the W . Master and the Secretary or Treasurer , specifying the date when , and the party to whom , the return and payment have been made , and also specifying for whom the Provincial Grand Master has issued Certificates ; and , further , the Provincial Grand Master shall immediately , or with all reasonable expeditionforward to the Grand Secretary the returns received from

, the several Lodges in his district , together with the amount payable thereon , so that the Brethren may be duly registered and the money placed to the credit of the respective Lodges in the Grand Treasurer ' s accounts . "In Article 5 , p . 85 , after the words , ' Grand Secretary , ' in the second line , to add the following : — ' Except in the British Colonies and settlements , or foreign districts , for which a Provincial Grand Master is appointed , and to whom Grand Lodge certificates may be

forwarded as hereafter mentioned . ' "And after the said Article 5 , to add the following : — ' The Grand Secretary be authorised to furnish to Provincial Grand Masters for colonies or foreign districts Grand Lodge Certificates , with the necessary alterations in the form , signed and sealed ; but in other respects to be left blank : the blanks being to be filled np by the Provincial Grand Master , or by his order , with the names and dates of the Brethren initiated & aby Lodges within his province or districtor

, ., , of Brethren who shall join such Lodges as set forth in the returns made to him ; which Grand Lodge Certificates shall have attached to them the Seal of the Provincial Grand Lodge and be countersigned by the Provincial Grand Master , or his deputy , and by the Provincial Grand Secretary . ' " To omit the word ' Foreign , ' in the third line of the law relating to Register Fees , at page 107 , and to add , after that law , the following : — ' The Registration Fee for a Mason made in a colonial or foreign

Lodge , Seven Shillings and Sixpence sterling , which payment shall include the Grand Lodge Certificate ; the Fee for a Brother joining any such Lodge , Two Shillings and Sixpence , tat if he require a Grand Lodge Certificate , then the full Fee of Seven Shillings and Sixpence is to be paid . '"

BOARD OF BENEVOLENCE . The report of the Board of Benevolence was then brought forward , it recommended the following cases to Grand Lodge : —Bro . iVai . Finch , of No . 258 , Norwich , £ 30 ; the widow of Bro . Henry Thos . Foreman , No . 233 , London , £ 30 ; the widow of Thos . F . Meyrick , of No . 007 , Wolverhampton , £ 50 . W . Bro . SMITH , G . P ., moved , and W . Bro . ADLARD seconded these recommendations seriatim . The first and third were unanimously agreed to .

On the second being put to the vote , W . Bro . GEEGORY moved , as an amendment , that the sum should be increased from £ 30 to £ 100 . The late Bro . Foreman had for many years laboured for the welfare of the Masonic Charities , and had been appointed one of the Grand Officers , and as such had long sat upon the Dais . The sum which it was now proposed to present to his bereaved widow would very inadequately repay it . His contributions to the charities amounted to a much larger sumBro

. . Foreman had been reduced from a state of comparative opulence to one of destitution , by the failure of a bank in which he had been engaged , and which brought his life to an untimely end . W . Bro . SAVAGE seconded the amendment , as he thought £ 30 anything but liberal . ; E . W . Bro . BEADDN suggested that as the Board of Benevolence , to whom G . L . entrusted all inquiry into oases for relief ; had only recommended a donation of £ 30 , some reason should be given for its

being now increased . He had no doubt there were good . reasons why it should be so , but they ought to be submitted to G . L . W . Bro . HAVERS entirely concurred in what had fallen from Bro . Beadon , but he , with the greatest pleasure , was there to stand forward to afford the necessary information . The late Bro . Foreman had been , during his Masonic career , one of the best working Masons in the Craft ; he had served the office of Steward to all the Charities ; he had also served the . office of Grand Steward , and the Grand Master had been pleased to appoint him one of the Grand Officers . The failure of Cockbum's bank reduced Bro . Foreman to a state of desti-