United Grand Lodge.

hold premises , with stable iu " hew Yard , adjoining the property o Grand Lod' / e , with authority to purchase tho same at such sum as I they may think proper . The Board accordingly reconsidered tho matter , and having

ascertained that the owners of the property would not accept less than thp sum originally asked , viz ., £ 1000 , and being strongly of opinion tha ' the premises were not worth that amount , decided to drop the negociation .

( Signed ) FRANK GREEN , Vice-President . FKIEMASONS' HALL , LONDON * , W . C . 16 th August 1881 . To the Report is subjoined a statement of the Grand Lodge

Accounts at the last Meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Fridav , the 12 th August instant , shewing a Balance in the Bank of England of -61 , 75 . 3 6-s lOd ; and in tbe hands of the Grand Secretary for Petty Cash £ 75 , and for Servants' Wages £ 96 15 s .

4 . Tho Annual Report of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , dated the 20 th of May 1881 , will be laid before Grand Lodge .

5 . PROPOSED MOTIONS . ( 1 . ) By W . Brother Joshua Nann P . G . S . B ., Senior Vice-President of the Lodge of Benevolence : — Alteration of Laws—Fond of Benevolence . Article 16 , page 104 ( small edition . )

Ilia line : —After the words " but should the vote exceed Fifty pounds , " to add " no greater sum than Fifty pounds be paid until the confirmation at the next

Grand Lodge , and omit the words " it shall not bo valid until confirmed at the next Grand Lodge . " 15 th line : —Substitute " Twenty pounds " for " Ten pounds . " 19 th line : —Substitute " Twenty pounds " for " Ten rounds . "

( 2 . ) By Brother Charles John Perceval , P . M . No . 1607 , London : — " That any applicant seeking relief from the Board of Bene , volence , and being voted such a sum ns requires the confirmation by Grand Lodge , shall , within twenty .

four hours , or immediately after such grant has beon so confirmed , be entitled to receive the same in full without any further delay , save only £ 10 or such portion ( iF any ) of £ 10 the grantee may have received on account . '

List of Lodges for which Warrants have been granted by the M . W . Grand Master since the last Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge : —

1912 . —The Foochow Lodge , Foochow , China . 1913 . —The Faith Lodge , Saharunpore , Bengal . 1914 . —Tbe St . Thomas ' s Lodge Kid . sgrov _ , Staffordshire . 1915 . —The Gnystone Lodge . Foresters' Hall , Whititable , Kent . 1916 . —The Conyers Lodge , Sydenham , Canterbury , N . Z . 1917 . —The Ionic Lodge , Leeston , Canterbury , N . Z . 1918 . —The Lincoln Lodge , Lincoln , Canterbury , N . Z . 1919 . —The Malvern Lodge , Kowai Pass , Canterbury , N . Z . 1920 . —The Enrydice Lodge , Surbiton , Surrey . 1921 . —The Victoria Lodce . Jamestown . South Australia .

1922 . —The Earl of Lathom Lodge , Sfcreatham . 1923 . —The United Brethren Lodge , Malta . 1924 . —The Wickham Lodge , Brockley . 1925 . —The Lodge of Concord , Papanui , Canterbury , N . Z . 1926 . —The Wayfarers Lodge , Malta . 1927 . —The Victory Lodge , Nelson , Wellington , N . Z . 1928 . —The Gallery Lodge , Brixton . 1929 . —The Mozart Lodge , Croydon , Surrey .

1930 . —The Opotiki Lodge , Opotiki , Auckland , N . Z . 1931 . —The Lodge of Fiji , Suva na Viti Levu , Fiji . 1932 . —The Whitworth Lodge , Sponriymoor , Durham . 1933 . —The Kingston Lodge , Kingston , Jamaica .

1934 . —The Lodge of Concord , Terowie , Sonth Australia . 1935 . —The Star of Africa Lodge , Jagersfontein , Orange Free State , South Africa . 1936 . —The Star of Agra Lodge , Agra , Bengal .

Note . —The " Freeinnsons' Calendar and Pocket Book" for 1882 will be published early in November next . The Calendar Committee direct the attention of Masters of Lodges and Principals of Chapters to the necessity of communicating to the Grand Secretary any change > n the day or place of meeting of Lodges or Chapters so soon as the resolution for effecting snch change shall be confirmed . —Vide Book of Constitutions , pp 64 , 92 , 93 .

A moveable Grand Lodge will be held under the auspices of the Britannia Lodge , No . 53 , at the Freemasons' Hall , Surrey Street , Sheffield , on Thursday the ¦ sand inst . Grand Lodge will be opened afc 2 . 80 o ^ lock

precisely . The business will comprise the Installation of the V . W . Bro . J . W . Woodall , as R . W . Provincial Grand Master of North and East Yorkshire ; and Installation of *[«> . S . H . Gatty , Worshipfnl Master Elect of the Britannia Lodge , by M . W . the Grand Master , assisted by his Grand Officers .

Rahere Almoners.

RAHERE ALMONERS .

ON Wednesday , 21 th ult ., the inaugural festival , associated with this noiv resuscitated Society took place at the Crystal " alace . It had been announced that Fred . Dixon Dixon-Hartland , E ^ q ., M . P ., would tako tho chair , but a few minutes before tho hour indicated for the banquet , a telegram was received from that gentlemen , stating he could not bo present . Mr . T . Sangster , Grand Recorder of the Society , who appears to bo " tho right man in the

right place , " immediately mounted a table , and in communicating the intelligence to tho guests , proposed that Mr . Jamea Stevens , their V . W . G . Counsellor should preside . This was carried by acclamation , and , en passant , we may mention that no better substitute iu tho enforced absence of tho worthy member for Evesham could have heen found . Upwards of a hundred and twenty ladies and gentlemen

sat down to a sumptuous banquet , provided by Messrs . Bertram and Roberts . On tho removal of tho cloth , the chairman proposed the loyal and patriotic toasts , whioh were pledged with hearty feeling ind goodwill . Then followed the toast of the " army , navy , and reserve forces . " In the course of some exceedingly judicious remarks , in reference to the martial forces of our fatherland , the

Chairman , as a volunteer of more than twenty years standing , paid a well merited compliment to tho latter contingent . These remarks elicited cordial appliuse . Capt . Robertson , a veteran , responded to the toast in eloquent terms , and we embrace this opportunity of stating that in addition to being a poet of no mean order , the gallant gentlemen hns recently composed some excellent pieces of music for

his poetry , which aro being sold for the benefit of the Rahere Society . The chairman in proposing the health of tho Rt . Hon . the Lord Mayoi . 'ALP ., and the Corporation of tho City of London , said that on . 11 occasions the Corporation of the City of London was ready and willing to rpndfr valuable aid to all who needed and deserved it . Had it not been for the reason that so many families were at that moment ,

at the sea side , a vast number of the members of the Corporation wonld have been their guests ; Messrs . W . Malthouso , Dickinson , and Horace Marshall , however , were present , and their names he would associate with the toast . The latter gentleman responded in an appropriate sppech . which was much appreciated . The chair , man in proposing the toast of the evening , namely , the ancient

Fraternity of the Rahere Almoners , remarked numerous sur mises had b ^ en rife as to the meaning of the title whereby the society had designated itself . The word " Rahere " had puzzled several philological scholars ; of this he gave an amusing case in point , where a gentleman had conveyed to him a poetic pffnsion , which was read amid reiterated laughter . The chairman then

observed that Rahere , who was " minstrel and jester" to Henry the First , at one time lived a rather fast life ; when , however , he came to hia SP , USPS , he went to Rome , where he obtained absolution , which was followed by a grievaus sickness , during which he made a solemn promise that , if spared , he would found a hospital for poor mpn . On his recovering , he founded a church and

hospital , in honour of St . Bartholomew , on some Crown property j at Smithfield , which were consecrated and dedicated A . D . 1123 ; in this year also the Priory alms were instituted , which were appro * priated " to the comforting of the sick and needy persons in that locality . " In course of time the once thoughtless jester died , Prior Uahpre , and great lamentation was made over his decease . " The pious

Prior" was buried in the north chancel of his own church , where his monument remains to this day . Dnring the reign of Henry the Eighth , the alms were confiscated , and consequently their distribution was discontinued . Passing from the past of seven centuries since , the chairman continued ; during the unusually inclement winter of 1880 nnd 1881 great d-stress was experienced among the poorer

classps , and in consequence the parishioners of St . Bartholomew resolved upon resuscitating , as far as possible , what had fallen into disuse . Accordingly , their mutual and esteemed friend Mr . Thomas Sangster assembled a number of the inhabitants and his personal friends , the result being that a benevolent and philanthropbio society , the Rahere Almoners , was formed . The primary objects of

this society are to prevent , as far as possible , distress or sickness either overcoming a man , or reducing him to abject poverty and helplessness . Thus , on the 7 th March 1881 , was resuscitated "Ad Dei Gloriam a Mortalinm Beneficium , " tbe fraternity of Rahere Almoners * , in continuation of the Ancient Priory Alms of St . Bartholomew , which had been founded in 1123 . The Stewards were not relieving

officers ; they assisted those who , for various reasons , would abstain from making application for parochial relief , and this relief was continuous and substantial if deemed requisite . After having expatiated in eloquent terms on the society , and the good it had already prodused and was effecting , the chairman said he would couple the name of Mr . Sangster with the toast . After

this gentleman had acknowledged the compliment in graceful terms , Mr . Donald Clarke proposed the health of tho Most Worthy Grand Prior , and numbers of the Grand Conncil of the Order , to which Fratpr John Hollinghnrst M . W . Grand Prior responded . The health of the Chairman was then proposed by Mr . Dickinson . Mr . Stevens in response regretted the unavoidable absence of Mr . Hart land , and

assured those present that he would do all in his power to further the intere . ts of the society , which wonld eventually achieve a great and good work . He had no doubt that on some future occasion the Lord Mayor would himself preside at their annual festive gathering , " a consummation much to be desired . " The Chairman then proposed the Visitors , to which Mr . Hart responded . Then followed the Press , to which the Chairman alluded in complimentary terms . Mr . J .

J . Bvinton ( Fin ? _ MA 30 N ' s C H _ 0 _ IC __) replied . The Chairman in proposing the Stewards and Minstrels alluded to the aid and assistance rendered by the members of the Victoria Glee Club , and other ladies and gentlemen of the musical profession , who had tendered to the Society , not only on that day , but on other occasions also , their services , and in particular mentioned Mr . Jas . Stevens jun ., Grand Minstrel , and Frater Sexton , the toast was suitably acknowledged . The last toast was " The Ladies , " whichjwas received enthusiastically