Freemasonry In Bengal.

Two new lodges have been warranted by his Royal Highness the M . W . GRAND MASTER , and of these the Light on the Surma , No . 2726 , was already working under a provisional warrant at Silchar . in the District of Cachar , Bro . Major DOUGLAS HERBERT

having been installed as the first W . M . on the 9 th July ; while the ceremony of consecration was to be performed as soon as possible after the receipt from England of the Grand Lodge warrant . For the other lodge—the True Blue , No . 2704 ,

Motihari—the warrant had already reached India , but unavoidable circumstances , we arc given to understand , had occurred to prevent'its being inaugurated . The Dep . Dist . G . Master , however , expressed n hope that it would not lie long before the . lodge

was in a position to discharge its duties . By the grant of these warrants the number of lodges on the roll of the District Grand Lodge oi Bengal is augmented to 44 , of which 14 arc Calcutta or Town lodges , and the remaining 30 Country or Mofussil

lodp-es . The Dep . Dist . G . M . further reported that the returns and dues for the second quarter of the present year had been received from all the lodges in Calcutta , and these returns show that an average amount of work had been done . It was

further announced that the funds of Dist . G . Lodge were in a satisfactory state , the accounts of the Dist . G . Treasurer showing a substantial balance in hand on each of the four Funds . It was also mentioned as regards the Building Fund that a

portion of the securities held on its account had been realised , but that there still remained 3 8 , 000 rupees invested . When these securities have bcen realised , it will be known how thc account stands , but in the meantime it was satisfactory to know

that the cash in hand , p lus the sum invested , just suffices to cover the cost of the land on which the Hall will be erected . The Actino- Dist . G . Master stated also that there was a further sum of 4747 rupees standing to the credit of the new Masonic

Hall Fund , so that there will be a fair sum to start with when s the building operations are commenced . When the Dep . Dist . G . Master in charge had concluded his address , which he did by expressing the thanks of Dist . G . Lodge to

Lodoe Kumaon , No . 1 S 70 , for the use cf their premises , and the arrangements they had made for its reception , the business set down on thc paper of Agenda , which had reference to the reports submitted by the District Board of

General Purposes and the Bengal Masonic Fund of Benevolence respectively was rapidly disposed of , and the proceedings terminated . We are glad to find that the Craft in Bengal is so prosperously circumstanced , and trust that for many years it

will be in the power of the officer presiding at these meetings to report , as Bro . BURKITT was able to do , " that there is peace and harmony in all thc lodges , and no burning question before District Grand Lodge . "

United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

The Quarterly Communication of United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England was held on Wednesday evening , at Freemasons' Hall , London . Bro . Earl Amherst , R . W . Deputy Grand Master , presided ; Bro . the Earl of Euston , Prov . G . M . of Norths and Hunts , acted as Past Grand Master ; Bro . W . W . B . Beach , M . P ., Prov . G . M . of Hants and the Isle of Wight , as Deputy Grand Master ; Bro ,

the Marquess of Hertford , as S . G . W . ; and Bro . Robert Grey , P . G . W ., as J . G . W . Among a crowded assembly of brethren were—Bros . T . F . Halsey , M . P . ; Rear-Admiral Albert Hastings Markham , George Richards , Dist . G . M . of the Transvaal ; Thomas Fenn , P . G . W . ; Richard Eve , P G T . i George Everett , P . G . T . ; Sir Joseph C . Dimsdale , P . G . T . - Lieut .-Co ) . Clifford Probyn , G . T . ; Sir Reginald Hanson , M . P ., P . G . W . ; John Strachan , Q . C , G . Reg . ; Richard Loveland-Loveland , Q . C , President of the

Board of General Purposes ; George Read , Wilhelm Ganz , P . G . Org . ; J . E . Le Feuvre , Charles Hammerton , P . G . S . B . ; Edward Letchworth , G . Sec . ; R , Clay Sudlow , Major J . Woodall Woodall , P . G . T . j T . Lean Wilkinson , P D G . Reg . ; J . H . Matthews , President ol the Board of Benevolence ; Henry Lovegrove , P . G . S . B . ; Rev . R . J . Simpson , P . G . C . ; Rev . C . J . Martyn , P . G . C ; S Cochrane , P . G . T . ; J . C . Parkinson , P . G . D . ; Lennox Browne , P . D . G . D . C . ; Dr . Ralph Gooding , P . G . D . ; Lieut .-Gen . C . W . Randolph , and W . Lake , A . G . Sec .

Grand Lodge and all the brethren appeared in mourning , and the frame of the portrait of the lata Earl of Lathom was covered with black crape . During ( he procession of Grand Officers into Grand Lodge , Bro . G . F . Smith ( Guildhall School of Music ) , Past G . Org ., played Chopin ' s Funeral March .

Grand Lodge having been opened in form , the minutes of the September Quarttrly Communication were read by Bro . LETCHWORTH , G . Sec , and confirmed . Earl A MHERST then rose and said . - Brethren , just 12 months ago a brother who then occupied the chair of Grand Master in the Grand Lodge

United Grand Lodge.

at the usual Quarterly Communication in December had the duty of moving a vote of condolence to our late Bro . Lord Lathom upon the lamentable misfortune he had met with in the death of his wife . Just 12 months have passed by , and it is my mournful duty , by command and on behalf of the M . W . the Grand Master , to move a resolution expressive of our deep regret at the loss of the

brother for whose loss twelve months ago we expressed our sympathy . It must be a great consolation to Grand Lodge that the sentiments then tendered "helped to alleviate the weight of the great misfortune which had befallen him . But , unfortunately , the blow was too heavy , and our esteemed Pro Grand Master is no longer among us . I think you will agree with me that ( he loss of such a brother cannot pass without some recognition by this

Grand Lodge . Bro . Lord Lathom was no ordinary Mason . Initiated at an age when few men join the Craft , he joined Masonry at Oxford under the banner of the Apollo L ' niversity Lodge , and it was not long after he left the University that he was elected to the chair of a lodge in West Lancashire , nnd , following that , il was not Jong be / ore the Grand Master appointed him one of the Grand Wardens of Grand Lodge . Lord Lathom assumed the chair

of yet another lodge in West Lancashire , and before very long the Provincial Grand Lodge of that province asked him to take the duties of Deputy Provincial Grand Master of West Lancashire . He performed those duties for some years , with what success the records of that province's extension can best testify . I have not myself the figures before me , but we all know full well how , under his rule , that large and important province has

flourished and prospered . A few more years passed away , and Lord Lathom was called to the chair ol the province , which he held until his death . Yet a few more years passed away , and when the Most Worshipful Grand Master , the Prince of Wales , was installed as Grand Master , he selected Lord Lathom to be Deputy Grand Master . His ruling in Grand Lodge gave unlimited satisfaction to the brethren who were in the habit of

attending our meetings ; he was prompt and firm in his decision , as it behoved one to be who occupied the chair ; he knew the Masonic law , and could see the merits of a case , and his invariable courtesy to everybody obtained the 1 espect and love even of those from whose views he differed Time passed on again , and on the decease of Lord Carnarvon our brother Lord Lathom was called to the next highest post to that of the Grand

Master—to the post of Most Worshipful Pro Grand Master . In that high position he performed his duties in that admirable way which had made us all feel that under his presidency we had a brother who was worthy to be the alter ego of the Most Worshipful Grand Master . Five times also did our lamented brother take the chair on the occasion of the Festivals of those great Charities , which are the boast and pride of our Order ; and on each

of those occasions of his taking the chair they were celebrated by an enormous increase in the funds of the Institution . I think you will agree with me that his lordship always did fill those important offices in a manner that places him among us a man worthy to fill the chair of Grand Master . But it is not only as a Mason I speak to you of Lord Lathom . If it be true that , Principibus placnisse viris non ultima laus est , Lord Lathom had a

share of that merit , and that praise applied equally to him in that office he held outside these walls as " Whip " in the House of Lords and passing on to the office of Lord Chamberlain . Much work fell inevitably on Lord Lathom ' s shoulders in the outer world , and he always discharged it in a manner which satisfied the Queen and endeared him to all the members of the Royal Family . He worked on those Jubilees we

have lately had , and 1 think it cannot be calculated how large and vast that work was , but he brought to that work a clear head , a sound judgment , and a charm of courtesy of manner that endeared him to all with whom he came in contact , and those who had the privilege of knowing the late Lady Lathom and him in priv . ite life cannot but say they were a most devoted couple , and of them it may be truly remarked they were " lovely

and pleasant in their lives and—happily , I think , for them—in their deaths they were not long divided . " It is well , I think , that the loss of such a brother as this should not pass unnoticed by Grand Lodge , and as Deputy to the Grand Master I move the resolution which I will read to you : " That this Grand Lodge , touched with the deepest sorrow at the lamented death of the Pro Grand Master of the Order , the late Right

Honorable the Earl of Lathom , G . C . B ., desires to place on record its high appreciation of the admirable , conscientious , and dignified manner in which , for so many years , he faithfully and zealously discharged the important duties of that high office . By the wisdom and justness of his rulings , by the deep interest he ever displayed in the well-being of the Order , and by his courtly and kindly demeanour on all occasions , the late Pro Grand

Master endeared himself to the Brotherhood , more particularly to this Grand Lodge , over whose deliberations he so frequently and ably presided ; while to the world at large he reflected the sterling attributes of a perfect Mason . This Grand Lodge desires also to convey to the family of the late Pro Grand Master the expression of its deepest and most respectful sympathy in the irreparable loss they have sustained , and to assure them

that their sorrow is shared by every Member of the Craft . " Bro . W . VV . B . BEACH , M . P ., Acting Deputy G . Master , said : Very little is required from me in seconding the motion you have so eloquently placed before Grand Lodge . No one who could have taken part in the proceedings of Grand Lodge a year ago , when we moved a vote of condolence with the la'e Pro Grand Master in the loss he sustained by the death

of Lady Lathom , could have anticipated that so soon afterwards he would have followed her to the grave . I can only say his habitual kindness of disposition and his courtesy of demeanour made him a favourite even in his youth with everybody about him . He was brought at an early age into the Masonic body . He was initiated in the Apollo University Lodge of Oxford , and from that time he became a devoted member of that

body . You have so well detailed his works that 1 will not repeat them . I have attended many Masonic meetings in my time . I have known him as one of the most able members of the Craft , competent to take any duty that might possibly be assigned to him . Brethren , he has passed away from amongst us . We regret his loss ; but he has bequeathed to us his memory as a beacon to follow arid an example to imitate .

Bro . the Rev . C . J . MARTV . V , P . G . Chap . . * Most Worshipful Grand Master in the chair , It is exactly a year ago , as you have reminded us , since we were called upon to pass a vote of condolence with Lord Lathom on his great loss . On that occasion I was kindly permitted to say one or two words of sympathy , because I happened to be one of the oldest of Lord Lathom ' s Masonic friends . I was initiated in the January and he in the February of the same year , and from that time till his death had always maintained the kind and loving friendshi p which is