United Grand Lodge Of England.

That Article No . 153 of the General Laws and Regulations for the government of the Craft , which declares that all Lodges held within ten miles of Freemasons' Hall , London , be London Lodges , and are to pay the London fees and dues , be repealed .

In doing so he pointed out that Brethren and Lodges in the London District were now so numerous that there was no chance of the brethren getting , however eminent their

services , Grand Lodge honours , or , as he put it , " a reward for their services . " Brother Nicholl heartily sympathised "with Brother Stevens , the Provincials thinking it

a great pity that the brethren who worked hard in a nnmber of Lodges within tho ten mile radius of London shonld not get any mark of favour . Brother Philbrick showed that the making of Provinces or Districts was a

prerogative of the Most Worshipful Grand Master , and the Grand Lodge would be interfering with this prerogative if they passed this motion . Brother Stevens urged that it would not be subversive of the prerogative of the Grand Master , bnt subsequently withdrew the motion , the brethren showing a disposition that it should be withdrawn rather than they should be put to the trouble of dividing . The motion by Brother Joseph Clever , P . M . 171 , seconded by Bro . Edgar Bowyer , P . G . Standard

Bearer—That one thousand pounds be paid from the Fond of Genera Purposes of this Grand Lodge to the funds of the Boyal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and the Widows of Freemasons , to assist in placing extra annuitants on the funds , in view of the large number ( 130 candidates ) seeking election in May next ,

¦ was unanimously agreed to . One other motion by Brother Nicholl having been withdrawn , for want of a seconder , he then moved

That Article 75 Book of Constitutions be referred to Board of General Purposes for the purpose of ascertaining if it is possible to remodel aud simplify and render it more workable as to the mode of recording and counting the votes in Grand Lodge .

Bro . Philbrick seconded the motion , which was carried amidst applause , and Grand Lodge was then closed in form and adjourned .

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

IN our last issue we referred at length to the gratifying results attendant on the recent Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , giving a complete list of the amounts sent up by the respective stewards , so far as they were made up to the hour of our going to press . Since then several outstanding lists have come in , raising

the grand total collected for the Festival to £ 19 , 126 15 s . The amount accredited to Bro . John L . Mather , " unattached , " is ten guineas ; whilst eight guineas must be added to the sum standing in the name of Bro . Samuel J . Fisher , of Lodge 1615 , raising his total to £ 44 2 s .

Major G . Lambert also sends a welcome ten guineas , and an additional five pounds is entered on behalf of the Province of Berks and Bucks , in the name of Bro . W . Fenton , who thns raises his total to £ 27 16 s 6 d . From East Lancashire

there is a new list of ten guineas , in the name of Bro . Robert Williamson , of Lodge No . 1055 ; and another of fifty guineas from the members of Lodge No . 1219 , this to be considered as a Jubilee offering . Brother W . Piatt , of Lodge 1313 , remits an additional two and a half

guineas , advancing his total to £ 93 5 s 6 d ; and Brother Isaac Dixon , of Lodge 1567 , swells his list to £ 85 14 s , by an additional remittance of ten guineas . Surrey also sends another twenty guineas , in the name of Brother R . E . Catterson , thus bringing np his total to £ 3110 s . The total originally stated for Derbyshire was given erroneously as £ 429 14 s ; it should have been £ 387 14 s , a sum of £ 42 having been credited to Brother George Fletcher , No . 850 , and also to Bro . P . Wallis , who was a Steward for that Lodge ; not " unattached , " as stated in the returns . We are happy to be able to

congratulate the Committee on the fact that at the Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge , on Wednesday last , the motion of Brother Joseph Clever P . M . 171 , that £ 1000 be paid to the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution , was

carried by acclamation , and without a dissentient voice . This will be a material help to the committee , and the entire result of the extra effort made this year on behalf of the " Old People ' s " Institution , will be equally satisfactory

to every member of the Craft who is sincerely interested in the cause of Charity .

The Preparation.

THE PREPARATION .

IN speaking of Masonic Charity it was the intention to impress the Entered Apprentice , not only with the value of Charity as an educational process in itself , but with some important truths which will fully demonstrate

themselves during his Masonic career . The newly initiated will find , first , Masonry is a system of morality enforced by tbe necessities of man ' s duty to God and man ; secondly , Masonry is education continuing from the moment of his

admission to Light until the end of life ; thirdly , that Charity is the prime factor of Masonic principles ; and fourthly , that without morality—without education—and wanting charity , the individual man must fail in attaining any

exalted position among men . Freemasonry—open to every man fit to accept its responsibilities—presents the means of acquiring knowledge , of correcting natural defect and

elevates man in his moral and social status . In Freemasonry there is everything that adds to the dignity of manhood , but nothing that can subvert the principles of hononr or religion .

The second section of the Charge in the first degree puts before the candidate some very important truths , yet their real import will not reveal itself until a later period of the Masonic career , and truths though they be , they are in reality as letters in the alphabet of that Masonic language

which will be the duty of life so long as that life itself may obtain .

Our Lectures in this section teach that without a true conception of self it is utterly impossible to discharge the duties we owe to Society , but the ancient founders of Freemasonry had the true wisdom of knowledge of human

nature and the charges acquire force by the reasons for them being embodied with them . In miking the reasons component parts of the charges themselves , the mind of the candidate is impressed more strongly than if either were

presented alone—cause and effect are shown in the closest possible relation , and it becomes impossible to bring the faculties into operation in respect to the one "without the other .

There are eight reasons given for the candidate s condition at the time of being accorded the intelligence of Masonic Mystery , and the sequential order in which they occur is sufficiently convincing of their value as educating

influences . The importance of truly apprehending the Spirit of the Charge on Charity acquires confirmation from the reasons set forth in each of the clauses of the charges in this second section , inasmuch as we are presented with an

operation of the mental faculties in regard to the condition of man under two very distinct and adverse conditions . Whilst the Charge on Charity covers the area of all humanity , and teaches the young Mason the value of living

and thinking beyond the limits of self , the reasons and the Charges in this second section bring him into communion with self and symbolically present the entity of self under the conditions of the actual fact of his existence . The

desire to attain the bright intelligence of Masonic mystery can only be recognised as under circumstances which act as a security to both the aspirant and the Order—the security to the aspirant lies in the fact that those who have been

admitted to light have in their turn been approved worthy the honour and confidence ; the security to the Order lies in the fact that the aspirant has arrived at the age of maturity , is free born , and has his worthiness vouched for .

The surprise of the candidate upon his admission at finding a perfect system of morality cannot be very much greater than what his surprise will be upon finding that

his preparation for initiation into Masonic life is based upon a recognition of his humanity and all the circumstances incidental to his existence .

The preparation which is commenced with the awakening of a desire to join Freemasonry is truly the internal ; the value of that preparation can only be estimated by those brethren who will be acquainted with the individual life

after admission ; to the individual himself it can only be of value as the means to attain the end . The preparation for the practical realisation of the desire as the first great

lesson in the study of self , and however much the symbolism of the ceremony may impress the candidate , the facts attending the demonstration of the symbols must impress him still more .

Freemasonry and Religion , that is the Religion of God , run parallel with each other—each accepts man in his primitive state as exactly under the same conditions—each