Grand Lodge Of Mark Master Masons.

Capt . Williams-Freeman , of the Lodge of Egypt . No . 811 ; the rules of the Euoational Branch were amended , so as to authorise the presentation of silver medals to sneh boys and girls as in the discretion of the Board may be fonnd deserving of reward for proficiency and erood conduct ;

the appointment of two additional Grand Officers was sanctioned , viz . a second Grand Assistant Director of Ceremonies , and a second Grand Standard Bearer . £ 52 10 s was

voted from the General Fund on acconnt of the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys' " Preparatory School Building Fund ; " and £ 25 from the same source for the relief of sufferers bv the recent fire at Jamaica .

The Report also stated that the following acknowledgment of reception of the Service of Plate presented to their Royal Hig hnesses the Duke and Duchess of Albany on the occasion of their marriage had been received : —

" Claremont , 20 th December 1882 . " Dear Sir , —I beg to inform yon that the Mark Masters' Presents tion Plate has been safely delivered here .

"The Duke and Duchess of Albany have be , en inspecting it to-day , and I am desired by their Royal Highnesses to tell yon that they admire the pieces exceedingly , and they form a moat valuable addition to their ornamental plate .

" Fraternally yours , " ( Signed ) R . H . COLLINS . "F . Binckes , Esq . " Grants from the Fund of Benevolence were recommended for , and received confirmation by , Grand Lodge , as follow : —

£ 30 to a Brother of the Cheltenham and Keystone Lodge , No . 10 . £ 10 to the "Widow of a Brother of St . Martin ' s Lodge , No . 262 . £ 10 to the Widow of a Brother of Union Lodge , No . 46 . £ 15 to a Brother of the Sonthwark Lodge , No . 22 . £ 20 to the Widow of a Brother of Fowke Lodge , No . 19 .

The Grand Treasurer ' s Accounts for the six months ending 31 st March 1883 show the following results : — General Fund—Balance from 30 th September 1882 , £ 4 14 s 3 d ; Half-year ' s receipts £ 883 7 s 9 d , interest on

investments £ 47 17 s ; making a total of £ 935 19 s . The disbursements for the same period were—ordinary expenditure £ 460 13 s 5 d , extraordinary expenditure £ 71 13 s 6 d , leaving a balance at bankers of £ 403 12 s Id .

The Benevolent Fund shewed a balance from 30 th September 1882 of £ 199 10 s 6 d ; the half-year ' s receipts were £ 62 Is 6 d , to which must be added for interest on investments £ 38 18 s 6 d , making a total of £ 300 10 s 6 d . Against this we have grants in relief £ 70 , and expenses

£ 1 3 s 6 d , leaving a balance at bankers of £ 229 7 s . The balance to the Education Fund brought forwa , rd from 30 th September 1882 was £ 93 13 s 2 d , while interest

on investments produced £ 17 3 s 9 d , giving a total of £ 110 16 s lid . Against this had been paid for educational fees £ 28 6 s , shewing a balance of £ 82 10 s lid . The investments now stand at : —

General Fond - - - £ 2 , 200 0 0 Benevolent Fund - - - 1 , 700 0 0 Educational Fnnd - - - 800 0 0 The Board have directed that the following additional in vestments be made , viz ,:

—On account of General Fnnd - £ 400 0 0 On acconnt of Benevolent Fund - 100 0 0 On acconnt of Educational Fand . 100 0 0 On the motion of the Rev . J . Randall , seconded by Sir Pryse Pyrse , the Report was adopted .

Brother W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., P . G . M . M . M . on rising for the installation of Grand Master , said : Brethren , at the last meeting our Most Worshipful Grand Master , Lord Henniker , was unanimously re-elected to that office , and ifc is my pleasing duty on the present occasion to declare him

Grand Master of Mark Master Masons for the ensuing year , but as he has been already placed in that chair it is unnecessary for me to re-instate him . I shall merel y declare that he now occupies that chair for the ensuing year .

And , brethren , it is also my pleasure to congratulate you and the Order generally upon the great services he has rendedred , and to say how fortunate we are in having a Grand Master who presides over the Order with such ability and zeal .

The M . W . G . M . M . M . having been saluted said : Most Worship ful Past Grand Master and Brethren , — I thank you very much for the honour you have done me once more in placing me iu this chair . I can assure you that I feel it a very great honour , and I think I need hardly add that

Grand Lodge Of Mark Master Masons.

my desire is to be of sei » i : e to the Order over which I have tho honour to preside . Ton have been very kind to me during the last two years I have held office , and if the Order has been successful it has been a great deal owing to the work done before I took the position I now occupy . I

also have to thank the other Officers and Past Grand Masters who have assisted me during my term of office . I assure you I feel the honour you have done me very greatl y , and , brethren , if I have derived any popularity among Mark Master Masons , it is from the fact that I have come

among you at a time of great prosperity , and because I had one idea before me—an idea I shall try to keep before me during my term of office , that is to do my best simply ; and without more ostentation than necessary—to do my duty to the Order over which I have the honour to preside Brother F . Davison was re-elected Grand Treasurer , and

the other Grand Officers were invested as follow : — Bro . The Earl of Kintore ... Deputy G . M . Lord Wolseley of Cairo ... ... G . Senior Warden Hon . Arthnr H . Henniker ... ... G . Junior Warden Henry R . Hatherly ... ... G . Master Overseer Col . C . E . Bignold ... ... G . Senior Overseer

b . G . Kirchhoffer ... ... ... G . Junior Overseer Rev . E . H . Crate ... ... ... 1 r * nu i Rev . F . J . C . de Crespigny j 0 h » P '« ° " Frederic Davison ... ... ... G . Treasurer H . C . Levander ... ... .. G . Registrar Frederick Binckes ... ... ... G . Secretary DoDald M . Dewar ... ... ... G . Assfc . Seoretary Senior

Geo ^ eSoP ^ ::: ::: i . ^ . Deacons SS' ^ Sd ::: ::. ::: }* *»** ™ ° W . W . Edis ... .. ... G . Snp . of Works Robert Berridge ... ... ... G . D . of C . George Balrymple ... ... •••] . Assist . D . of 0 . S . G . Baker ... ... ... G . Sword Bearer

William Watkins ... ... , „)/ , a , , JT , J . D . Murray j G . Standard Bearers Rev . Sir F . A . Gore Ouseley , Bart . ... G . Organist J . H . Banks ... ... ... G . Inner Guard J . S . Cumberland ... ... ... - > R . N . Howard ... ... ... « .

Thomas Taylor John Tomkina Cornelius Davies ... John O . Marsh ... ... ... t n 0 , , « T 7- „ < ¦ G . Stewards Ker '

George ... ... ... ' Percy Wallis Henry Faija William March A . Cracknell

W . C . Gilles J C . T . Speight ... ... ... G . Tyler . The following are the Members of the General Board : —

Appointed by M . W . Grand Master : M . W . Bro . th Rev . Canon Portal President ; Bros . C . H . Matier , Robt . Berridge , Thomas Cubitt , Alfred Williams , William Roebuck , O . H . Pearson .

Nominated by Bro . Henry Venn and elected by the brethren : Bros . E . C . Mather , James Moon , R . P . Spice , Charles H . Driver , Herbert Dicketts . Bro . Binckes announced that he had received apologies for inability to attend from the following brethren : —

Bros , the Earl of Kintore , Lord Egerton of Tatton , Wm . Kelly , Lieut .-Col . F . Gougb , Rev . C . R . Davy , W . A . F . Powell , W . J . Hickman , Hon . W . T . Orde-Powlett , W . J . Hughan , G . P . Brockbank , C . F . Matier , J . Brook-Smith , Magnus Ohren , Lieut .-Col . J . C . Hay , William Roebuck ,

Revs . F . C . W . de Crespigny , Ambrose Hall , A . A . Bagshawe , Dr . P . H . E . Brette , D . D ., R . P . Bent ; Alexander Spears , E . T . Inskip , Mattison , C . S . Lane , C . H . Driver , R . W . Edis , Frederick Long , G . Ward Verry , Thomas J . Pulley , Thomas Poore , George Carter , W . T .-Clarke , John

Barker , F . W . Ansell , Edwin Gilbert , J . A . Glendinning , J . F . Tweedale , George Toller jun ., W . T . Belcher , W . Stephens , R . J . Mure , Major Dunbar , G . J . McKay , Dr . W . Watson , Thomas Howkins , W . Watkins , and Rev . W . S . Moses .

We regret to have to announce the death of Bro . T . T . Pyecroft , which occurred at his residence , Petwortb , Sussex , on the 31 st ult . Brother Pyecroft was initiated in the St . Michael ' s Lodge , No . 211 , on the 10 th January 1881 ; he filled the chair in this Lodge , and waa a highly esteemed member of it at the time of his death .