United Geand Lodge.

his practice . After a very careful investigation ( and there was no hasty legislation , as Bro . Stebbing stated ) , they had come to the conclusion that ifc was illegal . In 1817 the question came before the Grand Lodge , when the President of the Board stated ifc in much the same terms as he did then , and it iA * as

held that compounding for the quarterage to the Grand Lodge Avas illegal , unless there was a regular subscription to another lodge . That was the law then , aud ifc Avas the laAv now ; and the Board of General Purposes would not have discharged ids duty to the Grand Lodge if it had failed to make a report and state their opinion upon it .

The Grand Eegistrar said the Grand Lodge had Avandered from the subject before it . The Board of General Purposes merely declared what the law was ; bufc they did not propose to make any new law upon the subject . As to the matter referred to by Bro . Stebbing , with regard to the marriage with a deceased wife's sister , that had been contrary to the law of

England for all time ; but in 1835 the Government submitted to what had been clone in the past ancl declared such marriages to be legal , but illegal for the future . In the same way Grand Lodge coull declare what had been done was legal , but Avould not be so for the future . The only Avish of the Board was , to declare what is the law , and that Grand Lodge had confirmed .

The amendment was hardly in order , ancl he suggested that the proper course would be to carry the resolution proposed by the Board of General Purposes rather than have new legislation upon ifc . Bro . Latham , J . G . D ., trusted that the report Avould go back to the Board of General Purposes , to carry out Avhat he

believed to be a useful principle in Freemasonry , ivhich ivas compounding for subscriptions ivhen the member could not be present . He believed the principle of composition ought to be

encouraged , rather than discouraged . Bro . Symonds , P . G . Assist . Dir . of Cers ., said he could not vote for these practices being declared illegal . If the law was not clear and distinct , the Board of General Purposes should bring up a recommendation to make it clear . If there Avas any doubt as to the interpretation of the law , then let the Board

introduce words to make it clear . The G . Master did not think the amendment would have the object in view , and he agreed Avitb the G . Registrar thafc this Avas no amendment of the law . Bro . Havers , P . G . W ., said that composition might be desirable in some cases , but very mischievous in some parts of the country

Avhere a man could compound for 10 s . for the rest of his life . He might thus come and take his seat in Grand Lodge for all time , and himself anil children become recipients of their Charities , but it was a very different thing ivith the Universities of Oxford or Cambridge . The Board of General Purposes had laid down the law , and it ivould not do to send it back to them

and say , " We do not accept your opinion that that is the law . " If tbey declared that night , and confirmed it at the next Grand Lodge it would be as much law as any other part of the " Book of Constitutions . " He saw no objection to the report , but thought it ivould be better to refer ifc back to the Board of General Purposes to consider ivhat alterations should be made

in the laws , or how far the compositions could be allowed . Bro . Spiers said they had sent their by-laws to the Grand Secretary for approval , and having acted upon them for fourteen years they ivere now told that they had acted illegally in what they had done . After a few words from Bro . Horsley , The G . Master put Bro . Stebbings' motion , Avhich was negatived by a large majority .

Bro . Havers then moved a further amendment— " That the report be adopted , and that it be referred to the Board of General Purposes to consider and report to the Grand Lodge whether and , and if so , Avbat alterations ifc may be desirable to make in reference to permitting members to compound for their dues . " This was seconded and put , and agreed to .

It being now past eleven o'clock , under the regulations no new matter could be commenced , so that all the rest of the business on the paper was deferred until the next meeting . The Grand Lodge was then closed with solemn prayer , and broke up at half-past eleven o ' clock . The following are the important subjects not disposed of , and will bave to be considered at the next quarterly communication : —

The annual report of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institutiau for Aged Freemasons , and the Widows of Freemason ? , will be laid before the Grand Lodge , and the following proposed alteration of the laws , which was agreed to at the annual general meeting of the Institution , held on Friday , the 15 th May , will be submitted for the approval of Grand Lodge , viz .: — " In the

event of any annuitant , male or female , residing in the Asylum becoming insane , subject to fits , or otherwise incapable of taking care of himself or herself , it shall be lawful for the Committee of Management to make such arrangement as they deem advisable for his or her removal and maintenance , not exceeding the amount of his or her annuity , or to withhold or suspend his or her annuity , if the Committee think fit to do so . "

PEOPOSED MOTIONS . By Bro . Henry G . Warren , P . M . Grand Steward ' s Lodge : 1 . To add to Eule 9 , page 21— " All brethren , being members of Grand Lodge , may have such papers of business and notices of special Grand Lodge meetings forwarded to them by post on registering their addresses and paying a fee of 5 s . per annum in

advance . " 2 . To repeal clause 4 , page 30 , of the " Book of Constitutions . "

By Bro . tbe Rev . Robert J . Simpson , G . Chap .: 3 . That ; the following brethren constitute a Committee to carry out the resolutions passed at the last Grand Lodge in reference to the celebration of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Most Worshipful Grand Master ' s accession to office as Grand Master of England : —Deputy Grand Master ; all Provincial

Grand Masters ex officio ; Lord Eliot , P . G . W . ; J . Haver ? , P . G . W . ; Eev . R . J . Simpson , G . Chap . ; S . Tomkins , G . Treas . ; M . J . Mclntyre , G . Reg . ; J . LI . Evans , President of Board of General Purposes ; A . W . Woods , G . Dir . of Cers . ; Hervey , Savage , Head , and G . Cox , P . G . D ' s . ; Symonds , P . G . Assist . Dir . of Cers . ; Young , P . G . S . B . ; J . Smith , P . G . Purst . ; Mason ,

P . G . S . B . ; Sharps , LL . D ., P : G . S . ; B . Baker , P . G . S . ; E . Cox , Bermock , P . G . S . ; Adlard ; Rev . Sir J . Hayes , P . G . Chap . Berks ; Cope , P . G . S . B . Cheshire ; Deighfcon , P . G . D . and Evans , Cambridge ; Powell , Bristol ; S . Leith Tomkins , P . G . S . ; Metham , P . G . D . Devonshire ; Coombs , Dorset ; Crosby , Durham ; Meggy Essex ; Newmarcb , Gloster ; Stebbing , P . G . D . Hunts ; Hyde

Pullen , P . G . S . B . Isle of Wight ; R . Callender , Bust Lancashire ; Kelly , Leicester ; Rev . C . Martin , Norfolk ; Dr . Goldsbro , ' North Wales ; Inns , Northampton ; R . Alien , Nottingham ; Earl Percy and Spiers , P . G . S . B . Oxford ; Bridges , P . G . S . B . Somerset ; David Williams , South Wales ; Dorling , Suffolk ; Morrison , Surrey ; G . E . Poeock , P . G . S . B . Sussex ; C . E . Winnington , Warwick ; E . Buslier , P . G . S . B . Westmoreland ; Sir D . Gooch , P . G . S . B . ; Dr . Bell , Yorkshire , N . andE . ; Bentley