United Grand Lodge.

Bro . lhc FARL OV CARNSRVON : 1 need not say , though I am happy to stale it , that that motion has been carried unanimously . Bro . E . M . PONTII ' EX , P . M . 2 : I have the honour to rise lo propose that Bro . John Creaton be elected Grand Treasurer for the ensuing year . Our Hro . Creaton is a zealous , enthusiastic Mason , of unsparing energy ,

and constant in his attention to the numerous Alasonie duties he undertakes . J-Ic is also most regular in his attendance at thc Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge , but be is not here to-night , for yesterday he bad the grief to lose his wife , and in his great and overpowering grief , though it may be no alleviation , the unanimous wish of the brethren for his re-election will , I am sure , be appreciated by him .

The motion was seconded by Bro . BINCKES , who said that though he had opposed the same vote last year , he had very great p leasure in seconding it on the present occasion . ' The motion was then put from the chair and carried unanimously . The GRAND SECRETARY - having read thc report of thc Lodge of Benevolence for thc last quarter , it was received and adopted . Bro . J OSHUA NUNN - moved the first grant recommended .

Bro . J - AI . CLAHON , in rising to second the motion , wished to say a . few words . The grants recommended that night for confirmation amounted to about £ 14 ° - He had no doubt they had been recommended with wisdom and prudence , and with that liberality which such a body as ihe Freemasons ought to give . But if the brethren wished thc Lodge of Benevolence to be liberal they must give them the means lo be liberal . Last year they spent in this way £ 10 , 000 when their income was only A'Sooo . The

brethren knew there was £ 45 , , or thereabouts , to thc credit of the I'und of Benevolence , and thc Lodge of Benevolence spent the income of that and also the quarterages . They said that the £ 45 , 000 was formed out of thc surp lus quarterages of former years , and therefore they were justified in spending it . If they were 10 do that , in a few years the fund would be exhausted

and therefore they would have to make smaller grants . The quarterages now were , for Louden brethren , four . shillings a year , and for country brethren two shillings a year . He would suggest lhal the quarterages should be raised to six shillings a year for London brethren , and three shillings a year for country brethren , and this increase would give the Lodge of Benevolence continued power to make suitable grants . ( Hear , hear . )

Bro . G . P . BRITTEN rose to support Bro . Clabon , bill was stopped by the G .. VL , as a discussion could not be taken on the general question when the only matter before the lodge was a particular grant . Thc following grants were then agreed to : The widow of a brother of the Lodge of Harmony , No . 272 , lloston ... ... ... ... ' .. ... £ ¦ ; $ o o The widowof a brother of the Stour Valley Lodge , No . 1224 ,

Sudbury ... ... ... ... ... ... 100 o o The widow of a brother of the Leigh Lodge , No . SS ; , liivmingham ... ... ' . . ... ... 75 o o A brother of the St . Andrew's Lodge , No . mjd , I ' arnhnm ... 75 o o The widow of a brother of the Royal 1 ' nion Lodge , No . 3 S 2 , L ' sbridgc ... ... ... ... ... on o o The widow of a brother of the Kennington Lodge , No . i . ' , Sl ,

Kennington ... ... ... ... 200 o o A brother of the Flkington Lodge , No . 101 C 1 , llirniingliain ... 100 a o 'llie widow of a brother of llie Lodge of Independence , No . 7 . 51 , Chester ... ... ... ... ... 50 o o The widow of a brother of the llurde ' . t Lodge , No . IJ 01 ,

Hampton Court ... ... ... ... .. 511 o o The widow of a brother of the Grenadiers Lodge , No . («> , London ... ... ... ... ... ... 100 o o A brother of the I ' pper Norwood Lodge , Na . 15 S " , Cppcr Norwood ... ... ... ... ... ... 50 o o The widow of a brother of the Cliigwcll Lodge , No , . 15 ' ,,

Chingford , Ksscx . . ... ... ... ... 75 o o A brother of the Wellington Lodge , No . ; S . | , Deal ... ... 50 11 0 A brother of the I ' allatlian Lodge , No 1 : 0 , Hereford ... 50 o o A brother of the Lodge of True I'Yiendship , No . 100 , Rorliford 50 o o A brother of the Shakspere Lodge , No . 1000 , Manchester ... 50 o o The widow of a brother of ( he Ionic Lodge , No , 277 , London ... jo o o A brother of the Prince of Wales Lodge , No . njio , Ipswich ... 50 o 11

1 he following is the report of Mo Board of General Purposes : — To thc I ' uited Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons ol Fngland . —The Grand Lodge having at the Ouarterl y Communication nf the 71 I 1 December lasl directed the Board lo consider and report on a motion submitted by Bro . Charles John Perceval . P . AI . of Lodge No . 1 ( 107 , to the following effect , viz . : —' - ' Tint in all cases when a question is brought before

Grand Lodge , for which a division is demanded , the telling of ihe same shall be conducted in a similar method lo that pursued in the House of Commons , viz . : -Two lelleis from each side ol " llie question be appointed lo record the votes as 1 lie members pass out , and make their report accordingly . " ' ihe Board have carefully considered the subject , and beg to report

lliereon—. ist . That the proposal of Hro . Perceval to conduct Ihe counting of votes in a manner similar to that in use in the House of Commons would be impracticable , inasmuch as printed lists of members would he required , and it would be likewise necessary that the tellers should he able to name the brethren passing them . -nd . That some other course mi g ht be adopted which would meet the complaint at Present made of confusion , and nossible inaceuracv . in ohtainine the numbers votinir :

I'ut the Hoard consider that in order to carry out the matter in a thorough and satisfactory manner , a rule should be laid down that all brethren remaining in Grand Lodge , after a eivision is ordered , should be required to vole on one side or the other , after clue opportunity of withdrawing has been given to those brethren who desire not to take Part in the division , tol 3 , r ''' 1 ' ' tem l > orary turnstiles be erected just outside the portals of Grand Lodge , OC ( n Cliarr / e 111 tile Hnnil lli « ' *> f-lf \ r of Cnrimi . ll , ! oc . ml I , Jo f , c ^;^ l ^ l , tc tl , rist , i * l , tmn ^ . f

Inch all the brethren ( except the presiding officer ) remaining'for the division should be C'lUired to pass on divisions being called for . And the Hoard believe that sufficient th ° ?\ 5 'JJ n for l '\ moment would he found for the brethren in thc corridor and in I a \ •^" . 'J " r ° om in the Freemasons' Tavern ( directly opposite the door of Grand ¦ uKe ) , which they have asceitained can be reserved for the Ouarterly Communications a < an annual charge of five guineas .

.. ( Signed ) J OHN- B . AIONCKTON - , President . I'l'eeniasons * Hall , London , W . C , 17 th January , i 8 S _\ . v | ° ' report is subjoined a statement o ? the Grand Lodge Accounts at " •- last meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , the 17 th January last , showing a balance in the Hank of England of £ 3812 Ss . sd . ; id in the i , an [] s of lnc Grand Secretary for ' petty cash £ 75 , and for * " vanis wasres fioo .

ado t " ' [ J "" n - MONCKTON - , President of the Hoard , in moving the IHPIP i " r lllC lc P > srl 'd there was only one subject treated in it , thc thelt r lff in G , 'a , ; d , - «' > w ,, ic " ,, acl bcm referred to the Hoard at ifci j- " ' nnd Lod ge . The plan now proposed was not only feasible , but para i ° r WOulcl bo a nl 031 accurate ° ' . With reference to the second graph of thc report , thc Board in so reporting were following thc

example of other larger bodies than Grand 1 . odgc . It was but fair if brethren did not relire that they should not take part in the division . Bro . FIUN - GREEN , P . AI . 1567 , Vice-President of the Board , seconded lhc motion . Bro . Or . J . F . CARPENTER , P . M . 1196 did not sec wh y all brethren should be forced to retire upon a division . If those who remained in the

lodge were asked by thc Grand Master " Does any oilier person wish to vote' ! " that would simplify the matter , lie moved , as an amendment , "That all brethren desirious of voting shall pass through one of the two turnstiles , and that all brethren remaining in Grand Lodge after the VV . AI . has put lhc question ' Docs any other person wish lo vote ' . '' shall be considered as not joining in the division . " Hro . T . WAI . LIS , P . AI , 201 , seconded the amendment .

Bro . I ' . A . PiiiLHRicK , CJ . C , P . G . D ., thought if some brethren remained in Grand Lodge , while others desired to do their duty and express their opinion , those who went out would lind il difficult on returning to find Iheir places . That was thc reason which led thc Board lo report as they had done . It was for the interest of the brethren below the dais ; those on dais would find no difficulty .

Bro . BARIIV IIK FERRIERES , ALP ., objected to lhc adoption of the system pursued in the House of Commons . The object should be to take the division , if possible , within the walls of Grand Lodge . It look along time lo pass through turnstiles . Besides , the turnstiles put them more iii

mind ol a place of public amusement than of such an august assembly as Grand Lodge , lie thought the brethren should be separated in two blocks , and the mover and seconder of the motion should name two friends , each lo take a block , count thc show of hands , place the result on paper , and deliver il to the Grand Secretary .

Bro . J . AI . Ci . Aiiox supported the present system . The new mode would take twice the time .

Bro . Sir J . H . AIO . VCKION - , said in the much abused Court of Common Council they were bound to vote . However , thc Board had nothing to say on lhc mailer , further than it had been referred to tliem , and they as ' in duly bound enquired and reported . If the brethren were content with things as they were the Board were quite content . Bro . CARIT . NTER ' amendment was then put and lost .

Bro . BAROX i > r , IT . RRM ; RES' amendment , " That when . v . division is called for , instead of the 'ayes ' and ' noes ' crossing from one side to thc oilier , the brethren keep thc ' ir scats , and four brethren named b y lhc mover of the the four divisions of the room , and take the votes by show of hinds , and amendment , together with the four Grand Deacons , stand in couples before

report lo ( he Grand Secretary , who shall add up the totals , " haying been seconded , was put to the meeting and carried ; but before il was afterwards put as a substantive motion , Baron de Ferrieres consented to the matter being referred back to the Board of General Purposes , and the consideration adjourned to thc next Quarterl y Communication .

The GRAND SECRETARV read the Grand Lodge accounts of receipts and disbursements for the year 1 KK 1 , which were adopted by Grand Lodge . Pro . Josiit'i NUNS - then brought forward his motion for altering lb .-book of Constitution , page 00 . Art . 3 , b y appointing lhc hour of meeting of the Lodge of Benevolence to tour o ' clock instead of six , as at present . I le

staled lhal lhc business before the Lodge of Benevolence had so greatly increased of late years 1 hat it was not unusual for the lodge 10 sit from six to ten , half-past ten , eleven , and even half-past eleven , llis proportion that the lodge should meet al four o ' clock would give llie breilireii an opportunity of getting away earlier than thai .

Thc motion having been seconded , Hro . Fiu-. m' . Ki . 'K DAVISON said lhal he had a motion lo the effect that the Lodge of Benevolence meet twice a month at six , which he had no objection to be taken now as an amendment . It was impossible at present to gel away early , and therefore he thought that the lodge might meet twice a mouth . Bro . F . F . STORR seconded [ lie amendment .

Bro . J . AI . CI . AHON thought this war , a mailer which might be left lo the discretion of ihe Lodge of Benevolence , but he thought when lhc President proposed that the lodge should meet at four o ' clock . Grand Lodge would lie inclined to support him . The brethren would lind it a tax upon them to meet twice in the month . If the lodge met at four o ' clock the extra two hours would enabh them to gel through their work early in the evening .

Bro . J AMES BRETT , Junior Vice-President of the Lodge of Benevolence , was sorry he could not agree with the President . Il appeared to him that his argument was to be answered in a very few words . It was simply a matter of convenience . Granted , il was very convenient to brethren who had nothing else to do to meet at four o ' clock in llie afternoon , but he did not think it would suit the convenience of a large number of the brethren who

attended the Lodge of Benevolence . They were principally merchants and men of business in thc City , who would have to leave Iheir businesses at half-past three to attend ' thc lodge at four . From half-past three to half-past five was thc most important period of the day for business men , when they had to write and send off iheir letters . If they were brought to thc lodge at six o ' clock , lime and opportunity was given

them for transacting their business , and then the ) 'could devote the rest of the evening 10 the business of lhc lodge . It was desirable to have as large a number as possible at the lodge , and then they got better knowledge of each individual case that came before the lodge , and a better judgment on il . He spoke from experience . Like Bro . Nunn , be had a

quarter of a century s practice al the Lodge of Benevolence , and he had found that when certain brethren had not been present cases had had to be put back . If they were lo meet at four o ' clock they would shut out the possibility of a large number of brethren attending . ' By so doing ihe ) 'would be indicting a very serious injury . ( Hear , hear ) .

Hro . J OSHUA . Nuxx , in replying , said that if brethren were not present who were interested in particular cases , those cases could be deferred till a later period of the evening . The country cases could always be taken first , and the London cases at a lafer hour , lie thought they would be able to transact their business quite as satisfactoril y to the Craft if they were to met at four o ' clock .

Thc M . W . GRAND MASTER in the chair said that Bro . Davison ' s motion could not now be put as an amendment , as Hro . Nunn ' s motion was for an alteration in the Book of Constitutions . Bro . Davison ' s motion would be brought on in the order it stood upon the paper . Bro . Nunn ' s motion was then put to Grand Lodge , and lost by an overwhelming majority .

Bro . AIoNTACiui ; GUEST threw out thc suggestion that the hour of meeting might be altered to five o ' clock . Bro . GEORGE P . BRITTEN , P . M . No . 1 S 3 , moved to alter Art . 12 , page 103 , of the Book of Constitutions by inserting the word "seven" in