United Grand Lodge Of England.

Bro . W . F . LAMONBY seconded the amendment . At the same time , le * it be distinctly understood that he was entirely in favour of these alterations , because he considered that the time had arrived when there should be some alteration in the Book of Constitutions , so far as regarded the founding of new Grand Lodges abroad . But he said emphatically , and with as strong words as were in his power , that he thought the brethren most interested in

these alterations deserved to be consulted in the matter . ¦ There was one point overlooked by Grand Registrar . The District Grand Mas ' . ers in foreign parts were the deputies of the Grand Master , and were the peers of our own Deputy Grand Master . He asked whether they had no right to be consulted on such an important matter ? He thought that plenty of time should be given to obtain their opinion .

Bro . R . LOVELAND LOVELAND rose to explain the circumstances attending the telegram sent to Bro . Eve . Not a single telegram or letter had been received by the Grand Secretary . But when Bro . Eve got up and showed them a telegraph form the Board at once said they could not receive it ; they did not know from whom it came . Now they heard it came from four District Grand Masters . That was not told to the Board at the time ,

neither was it expressed on the telegram . The Board thoi ' ght it might come from the same gentleman to whom the Grand Registrar had referred . Bro . JOHN STRACHAN , Q . C , asked first to congratulate the Grand Registrar on having thoroughly tackled this anomaly in Grand Lodge practice . He then suggested that the voting power should be defined . As 2 iSa said , the resolution , according to the Constitutions , could be carried by a majority of the members present , and it might be that a majority of each

lodge might send to Grand Lodge an application for recognition as a Grand Lodge of the Colony , and then , when the resolution had been acted upon , a majority of two-thirds might overturn everything that had been done . Therefore , he suggested that in this IMSA the same majority should be required—a majority of twothirds . One other thing he would point out , at the end of the second line after the words " the District Grand Master . "

Earl AMHERST said they were getting a little out of order . There was an amendment that this matter should be postponed . They ought to take the voting on that question first . After a few words from Bro . Horlon Smith , Q . C , Bro . SIMPSON , P . G . C , rose and said : M . W . G . M . in the chair , I am sure Grand Ledge will greatly regret that , circumstances beyond his control

prevented Bro . Eve attending the meetings of the Committee which was appointed in March , but it is satisfactory to find that he approves the resolutions come to , though he pleads for delay . If justice in the interests of harmony and brotherly love demanded such delay I would gladly vote for his amendment , but I think fads point in quite an opposite direction . Have we not already had much delay ? This is no new question in Grand Lodge .

Has it not had a lingering and very painful course over a period of two years and caused much animated , if not heated , discussion ? and if this long transitional period is to be lengthened , may we not expect many Colonial and home heartburnings still ? A referendum to the Empire would be a serious and lengthy operation and in the end would perhaps leave us in doubt and antagonism still . I feel assured our Colonial brethren will

appreciate the two years' consideration wc have given to their wishes and interests , but after the unanimous resolutions come to by a Special Committee of Masonic and legal experts , including Bro . Eve , they will be quite satisfied that everything that calm consideration , justice , and brotherly love could do , has been done , and they , as well as we , will be glad to feel that the question is no longer open , but entirely happily closed . The amendment being put , was declared to be lost .

Bro . PHILHRICK said he would adopt the proposition of Bro . Strachanthat the majority should be two-thirds . Bro . STRACHAN said he was going to suggest one other point—that , in order to strengthen the hands of the Committee and the hands of the Grand Registrar lo carry this rule into effect , and to avoid all that friction which some of the brethren had been so afraid of , he would ask the Grand Registrar to add to 21 SA words to provide for just such a case arising as had

been suggested , because up to the present they had no provision for a Colony in which there might be more than one District Grand Lodge , and therefore he would suggest that words should be added— " In a Colony or foreign part in which more than one District Grand Lodge exists , the same procedure shall be adopted in each district , and before any Grand Lodge shall be recognised as having jurisdiction over the whole of such colony or foreign part , the consent of each District Grand Lodge shall be certified by the District Grand Master thereof . "

Bro . PHILHRICK said he would adopt the alteration and the proposed addition , and Article 21 S . \ to the Book of Constitutions was carried unanimously . ' Bro . PHILBRICK moved , and Bro . J . J . THOMAS seconded , the addition of 218 B .

A BROTHER having suggested that in the sentence , " a majority of twothirds of the members present shall be required to carry such resolution , " there should be inserted , after the word " present , " " and voting thereat . " Sir J MONCKTON seconded the motion which the brother made upon his suggestion . The amendment was put and lost , and 21811 was adopted . Bro . PHILHRICK then moved that article 219 be repealed , and that in lieu thereof in the Book of Constitutions should be inserted : — " Whenever the

number of Subscribing Members of any Lodge , as shewn on the last return to Grand Lodge shall be fewer than five , the Lodge shall cease to meet and the Warrant shall be delivered up to the Grand Master , who may nevertheless , if he thinks proper , grant a dispensation to enable the members to meet , subject to such conditions as he may deem expedient , until he finally decides whether or not the Lodge shall be continued . "

Bro . W . J . HUGHAN seconded , and the motion was carried . Bro . J ALHERT FARNIIELD , P . A . G . D . C , moved—That the sum of £ 70 be given from the Fund of General Purposes ; that the money be placed in the hands of the Secretary of the " Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , " to supply the Institution at Croydon with coals during

the winter season . The motion was seconded by Bro . the Rev . R . J . SIMPSON , and carried . Bro . SIR J B . MONCKTON , P . G . W ., moved : That in commemoration of the auspicious event of the Diamond Jubilee , on completion of Go years of Her Most Gracious Majesty's glorious reign

the following donations be given from the Fund for General Purposes To the Prince of Wales ' s Hospital Fund ... ... . £ 2000 o o To the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls . \ ... 2000 o o To the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys ... ... 2000 o o To the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution ... 2000 o o

United Grand Lodge Of England.

He said he moved this resolution with much satisfaction and much confidence , but he desired to add something to the notice of the motion . In the Grand Lodge Bro . R . Eve would second the motion . Bro . Eve was a friend of all the Charities . He represented the Boys' School , and Bro . Farniield represented what Masons affectionately called the " Old People . " In the hurry of giving his notice of motion in order that it might be in time at

the General Committee of the Grand Lodge , he omitted to add the following words which he desired Grand Lodge to notice were not in the form of a mandate but merely a recommendation . His repson for wishing to add the words he was going to read was ( hat he felt some notice should be taken of the notable year in which they were now existing . He would add that the following recommendations be made to the Secretaries of the three Masonic

Institutions that in the case of the Royal Masonic Institution for Girls , and the Royal Masonic Institution for Boys , a scholarshi p in each be established to be called the " Victorian Diamond J ubilee Scholarship , " and in the case of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution a pension be added to be called the "Victorian Diamond Jubilee Pension . " He had only one word more to say , which was principally for the benefit of the younger

members of Grand Lodge . Ten years ago , on the occasion of the Jubilee , a brother , now gone to the Grand Lodge above , moved and successfully carried three grants of £ 2000 each to the three Institutions . A question was raised about it , and eventually it was disposed of , and Grand Lodge agreed that those grants should be made . At that time the invested funds of Grand Lodge amounted to ^ 3 6 , 000 , and there was good reason for giving

the . £ 2000 to each of the Institutions on the occasion of the Queen ' s Jubilee , and if at that time it was thought wise and prudent to give the money , it was even more so to-day , when the invested funds of Grand Lodge were nearl y double what they were 10 years ago . As prudent men and prudent Masons they were not doing that which any practical and wise administration would have any reason not to do . Further , he had heard a suggestion with reference to the proposition to give , £ 2000 to the Prince of Wales ' s

Hospital F " und ; but that he would say was a special fund of the Most Worshipful Grand Master . He thought it ought to be given , for the London hospitals were very much resorted to by persons coming from all paits of England to have operations performed . He left the motion with confidence to Grand Lodge to perpetuate Masonically the memory of this notable year among the old people and the children for whom Masons provided .

Bro . RICHARD EVE seconded the motion . He agreed with Sir John Monckton that they ought to give the £ 2000 to the Hospital Fund . It had been said that Masons kept their Charity at home , but it was not always well to keep it at home . If they had money , it was well sometimes to give it to some other funds .

Bro . J AMES STEPHENS , Dep . G . D . C , said whilst giving every support to this motion he could not keep from his mind that in recognising the Schools for the males and the females they were recognising each sex , but in the case of the Benevolent Institution they were only recognising one sex . He regretted that the motion had not included / 2000 each for the old men

and the old women , these being two scpirate lunds . It was perhaps too late in the day for that amendment to be made but he would suggest to B-o . Sir John Monckton that he should bring forward on the next occasion a motion for giving ^ 2000 to the other branch of the Benevolent Institution . Bro . Sir John Monckton ' s motion was thci put , and carried unanimously .

Afterwards the annual report of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged F ' reemasons and Widows of Freemasons , dated 21 si May , 1897 , was laid before Grand Lodge . Bro . R . HORTON SMITH , Q . C , Deputy Grand Registrar , nrxt brought before Grand Lodge the appeal by W . Bio . R . Cane , P . M .

1287—Against a decision of the Board of General Purposes , that except in cases specially provided lor , Rule ISI , Book of Constitutions , applies to all questions to be decided by a lodge , and that a' majority ot members present at a lodge must concur fn supporting a motion in order to carry it , and that a member entitled to vote can only remain neutral by absenting himself from the lodge room during the division .

He said Bro . Cane asked the Board of General Purposes and the Grand Lodge to decide certain questions of general and abstract law for hi j benefit , and this was not their province . But the question now was whether the Board of General Purposes was right or wrong in dismissing his appeal . The circumstances out of which the question arose were that in March , 1894 , Bro . Cane made a motion in his own lodge that certain things should be

done . There were 29 members present , and out of the 29 11 voted for and 11 against the motion . Thereupon the . Master voted in favour of the motion , making 12 against 11 , and he declared the motion carried . Things went on until the January meeting of the lodge , when the question was raised whether the motion was duly carried . The Grand Secretary and the Grand Registrar were appealed to , and their decision was that the

motion ought to have been declared not carried . Then an entry was made on the minutes of the lodge that the resolution was not carried . From then until February , 1897 , Bro . Cane made no attempt to go to the Board of General Purposes . He entered into a long correspondence with the Grand Secretary and the Grand Registrar . The brethren appealed to the Board of General Purposes , and the appeal asked the Bjard to decide abstract

questions . The Board did not do so , and Bro . Cane appealed now to Grand Lodge against the Board ' s decision . Bro . Cane truly said that if the ruling as to the majority in this case was followed , difficulties mi ght arise . Well , if difficulties did arise , then would be the time to deal with them , and not before . As the law stood they must construe it . He moved that the appeal be dismissed . Bro . PHILBRICK seconded .

Bro . CANE , in the course of some observations he made , said he made the appeal , not with a view of opposing or questioning the views of the Board , but in order that private lodges might know how the law stood . Karl AMHERST said they had nothing to do with that .

Bro . CANE submitted that declaring that the motion was not carried was contrary to Rule 1 S 1 of the Bojk ol Constitutions . He wanted to bring forward another point—was it consistent with sound reason and the principles of Freemasonry to make a man give an opinion on what he did not understand ?

Bro . STRACHAN , Q . C , submitted that brethren were bound by the Constitutions . Bro . W . J . HueiHAN said if the brother wanted the law altered he had his remedy in the usual way . The appeal was then dismissed .