United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

THE following is the Agenda of Business to be transacted in Grand Lodge , at the Quarterly Communication on Wednesday next , 4 th March , at six for seven p . m . 1 . The Minutes of the Quarterly Communication of the 4 th December 1895 , for confirmation . 2 . Election of M . W . Grand Master .

3 . To consider the following Notice of Motion from the M . W . Pro Grand Master—That this Grand Lodge with feelings of devoted loyalty , desires humbly and respectfully to offer to Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen , this expression of deep and sincere sympathy on the great calamity that has befallen Her Eoyal Highness the Princess Beatrice ( Princess Henry of Battenburg ) on the lamentable death ,

while serving his adopted country in a foreign land , of His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Battenburg , K . G ., and this Grand Lodge earnestly prays that the Great Architect of tho Universe will , in His compassionate mercy , vouchsafe to Her Majesty and to the widowed Princess , strength to bear with calmness and fortitude the irreparable loss they have sustained . 4 . Election of a Grand Treasurer .

5 . Report of the Board of Benevolence for the last quarter , in which are recommendations for the following Grants , viz .: — A Brother of the Lodge of Joppa , No . 188 , London £ 50 0 0 A Brother of the Abbey Lodge , No . 945 , Abingdon ... ... 50 0 0 The Daughter of a Brother of the St . Hilda Lodge , No . 240 ,

South Shields , on behalf of five infant children 50 0 \ 0 A Brother of tho Vitruvian Lodge , No . 87 , London 50 0 0 The Widow of a . Brother of the Wykham Lodge , No . 1885 ,. Winchester 50 0 0 The Widow of a Brother of Lodge Hope and Unity , No . 377 , Kidderminster ' 100 0 0 The Widow of a Brother of Lodge De Ogle , No . 636 , Morpeth ... 50 0 0

6 . EEPORT OE THE BOAED OF GENEEAL PUEPOSES . To the United Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of England . The Board has to report that its attention has been directed to the fact that , in violation of the provisions of the Book of Constitutions , Centenary Jewels had been obtained for certain Members of a London Lodge , elsewhere than at the office of the Grand Secretary . The Board accordingly summoned before it the W . Master , Wardens , and Secretary of the Lodge , together with

the Brother , not a member of the Lodge , by whom the jewels had been ' supplied , and who had offered to procure them for a price less than that named in the Book of Constitutions . The Secretary having stated the Lodge was not aware the jewels were not procured by that Brother through the office of the Grand Secretary : the Brother who procured them was admonished by the Board , and the Lodge was cautioned not to permit further purchases of jewels to be made , except in the manner provided by the Constitutions .

The Board has further to report that it had felt it its duty to suspend from all Masonic rights and privileges for a period of three months a Member of a London Lodge , for having in violation of Eule 202 , Book of Constitutions , given a Certificate or recommendation to enable a Brother in an itinerant manner to apply to Lodges for relief .

The Board have to report that the following Presentations have been made to the Library and Museum since the last Meeting of Grand Lodge , all of which have been accepted with thanks : —

TITLE OR OBJECT . BY WHOM PRESENTED . An Old Masonic Apron . —George E . Fairchild A . G . D . C . History of the Grand Masters' Lodge , No . 1 . —Charles Belton P . D . G . D . C . The " Haddon" Manuscript of the Old Charges . —James S . Haddon P . P . S . G . W . Somerset . Robert Burns and the Lodge Canongate Kilwinning . Transcript of the " Haddon " Manuscript . —William Jas . Hughan P . G . D .

Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts , & c , 1733-1792 . —General Lawrence Past Grand Master , Massachusetts . The Royal Arch in the Past . —William Smithett Z . No . 58 . Two Past Master ' s Jewels . —Edward Terry Past G . Treas . By-Laws of Nos . 84 and 333 , 1778 and 1765 , M . S . —Mr . Henry Phillips , per Bro . Alfred Bannister . " Dinner Scraps " from Table No . 657 . —0 . de Broe P . M . No . 657 . Human Sacrifice in India , & c . —Neville Green P . M . No . 1962 .

In consequence of the special value and interest attaching to " the Haddon Masonic Manuscript , " most generously presented by Bro . James S . Haddon P . Provincial Grand Warden of Somerset , the Board resolved that a vote of thanks to that Brother be engrossed on vellum , illuminated and framed .

The Board also submit a statement of the Grand Lodge Accounts at the last meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , the 14 th day of February instant , showing a balance in the Bank of England ( Law Courts Branch ) of £ 6 , 994 7 s 6 d , and in the hands of the Grand Secretary for Petty Cash £ 100 , and for Servants' Wages £ 100 .

( Signed ) RICHARD LOVELAND LOVELAND . President . Freemasons' Hall , London , W . C , 19 th February 1896 .

7 . NOTICE OF MOTION . By Bro . W . F . Lamonby P . M . 962 1924—That the Grand Lodge of England in Quarterly Communication assembled , hereby expresses its strong disapproval of the system of canvassing and touting carried on at the annual elections , and earnestly appeals to its members to discountenance and prevent

the continuance of a practice which is contrary to the principles and tenets of English Freemasonry . List of Lodges for which Warrants have been granted by the M . W . Grand Master since the last Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge . No . 2591 . —The St . Mary of tho Harbour Lodge , New Shoreham . 2592 . —The Waltair Lodge , Vizagapatam , Madras . 2593 . —The Hugh Owen Lodge , London .

United Grand Lodge.

2594—The Old Priory Lodge , Buxton . 2595 . —The Trinity Lodge , Buckfastleigh . 2596 . —The Eshowe Lodge , Zululand . 2597 . —The St . Alban ' s Lodge , Christchurch , New Zealand .

2598 . —The St . Sampson ' s Lodge , Guernsey . 2599 . —The Engineer Lodge , London . 2600 . —The Stanley of Preston Lodge , Preston . 2601 . —The Holloway Lodge , London . 2602 . —The Baring Lodge , Cromer .

Mark Grand Lodge.

MARK GRAND LODGE .

f "pHE Quarterly meeting of the Grand Lodge of Mark Master I Masons of England and Wales , & c , will be held on Tuesday next , 3 rd March , at Mark Masons' Hall , Great Queen Street , at 2 for 3 p . m ., the following being the Agenda of Business : 1 . Read and , if approved , confirm minutes of Quarterly Communication of 3 rd December 1895 .

2 . Election of the M . W . Grand Master for the ensuing year . 3 . Election of the Grand Treasurer for the ensuing year .

4 . REPORT OF THE GENERAL BOARD . During the three months ending 31 st December 1895 there have been issued : -Mark Certificates , 307 ; total number registered , 34 , 985 . Warrants for new Lodges , five , viz .:

—489 United Service , London . 490 Murray , Wigan . 491 Fidelity , Coalville . 492 St . George , Larnaca , Cyprus . 493 Eland , Elland , W . Yorks .

Royal Ark Mariner Certificates , 83 ; total number registered , 4 , 747 . Warrants for new Ark Mariner Lodges , two , viz .: — Joppa Lodge , to be attached to the Joppa Lodge , No . 11 . Southport Lodge , to be attached to the Southport Lodge , No . 473 . H . R . H . the Prince of Wales M . W . Grand Master has been pleased to re-appoint for a further term of three years : — Bro . the Hon . Sir H . StaSord Northcote , C . B ., M . P ., as Provincial Grand Master for Devon .

Bro . W- A . F . Powell , J . P ., as Provincial Grand Master for Bristol . Bro . the Hon . Judge Donald Grant MacLeod as District Grand Master for Burma . The Board recommend that the Eamsay Lodge , No . 180 , and the Joppa Lodge , No . 312 , who have neglected to comply with the requirements of Art . 150 , Book of Constitutions , and who have , in consequence thereof , been ' summoned to appear in Grand Lodge to show cause , and have not replied ,, should be erased .

The District Grand Secretary of Bengal having reported that Kirby Lodge , No . 285 , Sarapur , has not met for several years , and is practically extinct , the Board recommend that the last known Master be summoned to attend Grand Lodge to show cause why such Lodge should not be erased . The Chelmer Lodge , No . 342 , having reported to the Board that Bro . W . F . Howard Flanders had been installed in the chair without a dispensation

from M . W . Grand Master , he not being a Master or Past Master of a Craft Lodge ( Art . 99 ) , and having expressed their great regret for the irregularity , the Board ruled that the Lodge be fined one guinea and be directed to apply at once for a dispensation , to be dated nunc pro tunc , and that at the next regular meeting of the Lodge Bro . W . F . Howard Flanders be re-obligated in the presence of a Board of Installed Masters .

The Board earnestly desire to call the attention of all Installing Masters to the absolute necessity of ascertaining that the Master-elect is duly qualified as an Installed Master of a Craft Lodge , or failing the qualification , that a dispensation has been obtained . Certain cases having been reported where candidates have not been presented with a copy of the Book of Constitutions on advancement , the Board desire again to call the attention of W . Masters to Article 141 .

The Board have the pleasure to announce the completion of the Decoration of tlie Great Hall , at a total cost of £ 350 , the payment of which they beg to recommend to Grand Lodge .

FUND OF BENEVOLENCE . The Board have tho pleasure to announce that the Twenty-eighth Annual Festival will be held on Wednesday , 8 th of July . Bro . Charles Letch Mason Provincial Grand Master for West Yorkshire has most kindly consented to preside , and the Graud Secretary will be Happy to receive the names of Ladies and Brethren willing to act as Stewards . The following case has been relieved :

Bro . E . J . S ., Lodge No . 383 £ 5 0 0 Signed , E . LOVELAND LOVELAND , President . FRANK RICHARDSON , Vice-President . C . FITZGERALD MATIER , Grand Sec . 3 rd March 1896 .

5 . A motion will be made that the Report be taken as read . 6 . A motion will be made that the Report be received and entered on tho minutes . 7 . Recommendation .- ; arising out of the Report : - (») . That the Ramsay Lodge , No . 180 , and thc Joppa Lodge , No . 312 , be erased .

( b ) . That the last known Master oi Kirby Lodge , No . 285 , be summoned to show cause why such Lodge should not be erased . ( c ) . Tbat the Board be authorised to defray tbo cost of decoration of the Great Hall . 8 . A motion will bo proposed that the Eepoit be adopted .