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OUR Mark brethren must be highly gratified at the success of T Gran " the proceedings at the half-yearly communication of their Lodge . Granfi Lodge on Tuesday . There was a full attendance of the Present and ' Past Grand Officers and brethren . Those members on whom Grand Office was conferred were received as they advanced to the dais for

investiture with well-merited applause ; the Report of the General Board , save in one particular , was all that could have been wished for ; and the banquet , with which the meeting concluded , reflected credit on the brethren on whom , as Grand Stewards , the arrangements had devolved . The halfyearly Report shows that during the six months ending on the 31 st March ,

702 Mark certificates were issued , and nine new lodges were warranted , while 9 6 Royal Ark certificates were issued , and two Royal Ark Mariner lodges warranted . The accounts are in all respects satisfactory , the General Fund having £ 2600 invested and a balance in hand of . £ 746 , while the Benevolent Fund , taking its various branches together , has / ' 8100 invested in

and balances amounting together to ^ 636 . one particular which the Report was a cause of grief instead of gratification was in the record of the death of its late President , Bro . the Rev . Canon PORTAL , Past G . Master . Yet even here the brethren had the consolation of knowing that the Mark

Master Mason whose death is universally lamented had laboured so successfully in behalf of Mark Masonry ; that , though unhappily he is no longer with us in the flesh , the memory of his services will always be cherished by the whole Mark body with the sincerest affection and respect .

# SOME of our American contemporaries appear to regard our Common sense ; ews as ( o the admission of candidates who have s > me aS ' bodily imperfection as heterodox , their own , of course , being the only orthodox views which can be warranted as pure an d unadulterated .

We admit that it is difficult to make a Mason—so far as the outward forms and ceremonies of making are concerned—out of a man who has neither arms nor legs , or who , having arms and legs , has been so unfortunate as to mislay his head , or be deprived of his body . We have said this in previous articles on this subject , and we have no desire to shirk the full responsibility

which such an admission must entail . But seeing that Freemasonry is not a mechanical art , but a morality , we have some difficulty in understanding why it is that a man who has sense and feeling , but less than the usual number of legs and arms , or no legs or arms whatever , is not capable of being fashioned into a most excellent Mason . If he has wealth , he is not likely to

dispense it less generously , or with less discrimination among his poor brethren or their families , because , having no arms , it is necessary that his cheques should be signed on his behalf by a legally appointed agent . Though blind , he will still be able to see the beauty of those moral precepts which it is the purpose of Freemasonry to inculcate ; and , though

as deaf as a post , he can still hear and understand what it is to practise and instruct others in the practice of virtue . In his progress through the various grades he will not be able to advance by the regular steps , if he happens to be unfurnished with a pair of legs , but he will have understanding to appreciate and apply to himself and his rule of life what is meant to be

conveyed by our symbolism . Without wind and limbs he would be useless as an artificer , but he does not need to be a prize athlete in order to be upright and charitable in his de alings with his neighbours . It might as well be asserted that a bald-headed man , having no hair to stand on end , could not be properly horror-struck , as that a one-eyed , one-armed , or one-legged

man is ipso facto incapacitated from being a good Mason . However , though our American contemporaries and many of the Grand Masters in the United States appear to think differently from us on these points , we occasionally get a glimpse of that sound common sense which characterises Americans in the transaction of business , as in the case of a one-eyed man

who was initiated and passed in a lodge in New Mexico , before it was discovered that its Grand Lodge had decided that the loss of an eye was an absolute disqualification for membership . In this supreme difficulty the Master applied to the Grand Master , Bro . Dr , W . S . HARROUN , to know whether or not he would be justified

or not in raising the brother , who he declared was in all other respects " a bright and useful Mason . " Bro . DR . HARROUN , being a sensible man , decided that the brethren of the lodge in question " would be doing the candidate a greater injustice in withholding the Third Degree than the injury to Masonry could possibly be from any ideal notion of unfit

material . He , therefore , wisely allowed the Degree to be conferred , and at the same time took the opportunity of remarking that " we should look more to the mental than to the physical qualifications of those

who knock at our doors . ' Good , very good ; and the next time a oneeyed or a one-legged ca ndidate presents himself for admission into an American lodge , we trust it will be a Bro . Dr . HARROUN to whom the question of his fitness will be referred .

United Grand Lodge Of England.

UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND .

The Quarterly Communication of United Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of England was held on Wednesday evening at Freemasons' Hall . Bro . W . W . B . Beach , Prov . G . M . for Hants and Isle of Wight , presided . Bro . Sir Francis Burdett , Bart ., Prov . G . M . for Middx ., acted as Dep . G . M . ; and Bro . Hugh D . Sandeman , Past Dist . G . M . of Bengal , as P . G . M . ; and a large number of brethren attended .

Bro . BEACH , in commencing the proceedings , said : I am requested by the Pro G . M ., the Earl of Carnarvon , to state that it had been his full intention to attend Grand Lodge here this evening , but he has been unavoidably prevented from doing so .

United Grand Lodge Of England.

The minutes of the Quarterly Communication of the 6 th March and of the Grand Festival of 24 th April were then read and confirmed . Scrutineers were afterwards appointed and obligated to make a true return of the election of members to serve on the Board of General Purposes ; they then collected the balloting papers and retired .

Bro . BEACH next said : Brethren , Grand Lodge are aware that during the last two years the Freemasons of two of the Australian Colonies , viz ., New South Wales and South Australia have formed themselves into , and established , independent Grand Lodges in each of those colonies , and that this Grand Lodge has recognised these lodges as being lawful and regular .

I am now commanded by the Most Worshipful the Grand Master to say that a report has been received from the Freemasons of another colony in Australia , viz ., Victoria , stating that the lodges belonging to their various jurisdictions have regularly and constitutionally formed themselves into a Grand Lodge , and that the movement is practically unanimous , 140 out of

142 lodges having joined the new Grand Lodge ; and that the new Grand Lodge has elected Bro . Sir William Clarke , Bart ., who has hitherto held the appointment of District Grand Master of the three District Grand Lodges of England , Ireland , and Scotland , as the new Grand Master . As the action thus taken appears to be similar to that followed in the case of

the other two Australian Grand Lodges the Grand Master now recommends that the request be recognised and granted , with the distinct understanding that should the two lodges which have not joined the new Grand Lodge still refuse to do so and wish still to belong to the Grand Lodge of England ,

their position should be acknowledged and recognised by the new body . ( Hear , hear . ) I have now , on the part of the Most Worshi pful Grand Master , to move that this Grand Lodge be reeognised—the United Grand Lodge of Victoria .

Bro . F . A . PHILBRICK , Q-C , G . Reg .: Brethren , —Having had the honour on previous occasions of seconding similar motions in the cases of the Grand Lodges of South Australia and of New South Wales , it gives me much pleasure to second the motion which is now before Grand Lodge . We , as English Masons , and being assembled in the Mother Grand Lodge

of the world , see these strong bodies torming themselves into distinct and independent Grand Lodges . It is true that by this action many of the lodges which were under our jurisdiction formed themselves under the new , leaving us for the new Grand Lodges ; but it is in no grudging mood that we accord recognition to a movement made thus regularly . We wish the

new Grand Lodge every Masonic success ; we trust that the princi ples that they have derived from the parent Grand Lodge of England , while certain constituent members were associated with u ; , may be perpetuated and extended under the dominion of the new Grand Lod ge . VVe think it right , and I am sure this Grand Lodge will agree , to guard the position of those

lodges which still may remain under allegiance to us . As long as they continue to do so we cannot renounce them ; and I feel quite sure that the Masonic feeling in the Colonies which has attended this movement , will recognise their position and will desire to recognise it so long as those lodges may be outside the movement , which , with the exception of those two

lodges , is entirely unanimous . I trust , therefore , that this Grand Lodge will have no difficulty whatever in according to the new Grand Lodge of Victoria its recognition , wishing to this new Grand Lodge the same prosperity and success as they did in the cases of the other two Grand Lodges of Australia . ( Applause . )

I he motion that the United Grand Lod ge of Victoria be recognised was then put to Grand Lodge and carried " nem . con . " Bro . BEACH : Brethren , —I am commanded by his Royal Highness the Most Worshipful Grand Master to make an announcement ' to Grand Lodge , connected with the mat ter which has just been before you . Grand

Lodge may possibly remember that his Royal Hi ghness has already acceded to the request from the Grand Lodges of New South Wales and South Australia to become the Grand Patron of those Grand Lodges . He has received a similar request from the newl y- recognised Grand Lodge of

Victoria , and his Royal Highness desires me to state that subject to their recognition by this Grand Lod ge this evening , it will afford him much pleasure to accede to their request to become their Grand Patron . ( Applause . )

Bro . BEACH : Brethren , —I have now to announce that his Royal Hig hness , the Most Worshipful Grand Master has appointed Bro . Thomas Fenn , President of the Board of General Purposes . ( Applause . ) Bro . THOMAS FENN then advanced to the pedestal and was re-invested , and was congratulated by the acting Grand Master on his appointment .

Bro . BEACH announced that there would be no election for the Colonial Board , as only the requisite number of members were nominated , but the M . W . G . M . nominated Lieut .-Col . Haldane , Chairman , Bros . Hugh D . Sandeman and Brackstone Baker , as members , and Bro . Gadsden to be Vice-Chairman .

On the motion of Bro . BELTON , Bro . John Smith ( Harding and Co ., accountants ) was appointed Auditor of Grand Lodge . List of brethren nominated for the Colonial Board : Bros . Col . Frederick Gadsden ( Madras ) , P . M . 434 ; Capt . Thomas Charles Walls , W . M . 1656 ; James Brett , P . M . 177 ; Reginald St . A . Roumieu . P . M . 1537 J

Albert Escott , P . M . 1539 ; John Speight Cumberland , P . M . 2128 ; and Lennox Browne , W . M . 2256 . List of brethren nominated for the Committee of Management for the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons : Bros . C . A . Cottebrune , P . M . 733 ; Hugh Cotter , P . M-

554 ; J . E . Dawson , P . M . 404 ; C . G . Dilley , P . M . 1155 ; Major A . Durrant , P . M . 569 ; C . Kempton , P . M . 1287 ; A . H . Tattershall , P . M . 140 ; IDixon , P . M . 1567 ; R . Griggs , P . M . 228 ; and Wm . Henry Hubbert , P . M . 1625 . ' J These brethren were declared dul y elected .

Bro . BEACH announced that the Grand Master had appointed the following brethren on the same Committee : —Bros . Col . Shadwell H . Clerke , Jabez Hogg , Robert Turtle Pigott , D . C . L . ; Dep .-Insp .-Gen . Thomas