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hoped for the peace and happiness of Freemasonry this power would be granted , for the kind and honest man would never bo touched by it , and the only one who would be touched would he those who made others miserable , whose ambition was disappointed because they had not reached the acme of success as soon as they thought they ought to have done , but much sooner

than the brethren would be willing to concede to them . The G . MASTER said before any further discussion took place , he felt that there would be great difficulty in his putting the question as it was at variance with the " Book of Constitutions . " He found the following in the "Book of Constitutions , " at page 65 : — "If any brother behave in such a manner as to disturb the

harmony of the lodge he shall be thrice formally admonished hy the Master , and if he persist in his irregular conduct ho shall be punished by censure , fine , or exclusion , according to the by-laws of the lodge , or the case may be reported to higher Masonic authority . No lodge shall exclude any member without giving him due notice of the complaint made against him and

of the time appointed for its consideraeion . The name of every brother excluded , with the cause of exclusion , shall be sent to the Grand Secretary , and , if a country lodge , also to the Provincial Grand Master . " AVithont giving any opinion of Bro . Stebbing ' s resolution , and of the good reasons he had given for serious consideration , it would be impossible for him to put the

resolution unless the two paragraphs iu the " Book of Constitutions" he had read were first repealed . The G . REGISTRAR said the ruling his lordship had been pleased to adopt was iu accord nice with the " Book of Constitutions" and no other ruling could be adopted by Grand Lodge . By law 21 no lodge could exclude a member without giving the member notice of the cause of his exclusion , and Bro .

Stebbing ' s notice would not state the precise complaint of the lodge . Until the laws 20 and 21 were repealed , the resolution of Bro . Stebbing could not be adopted hy Grand Lodge . Bro . STEBBING said he should have great pleasure in bringing this subject before the Board of General Purposes in conjunction with the Grand Registrar , and ho hoped , before the Grand Lodge in September , to do something to promote the increased

happiness of the brethren . The matter then dropped . The G . REGISTRAR then moved the following resolutions , introducing each by a few complimentary observations : — " 1 . That the cordial thanks of this Grand Lodge be given to the Chairman and the other members of the Building

Committee for the complete and excellent arrangements made by them , whereby the comfort of the Craft was secured and ample accommodation provided for their witnessing the ceremony of the foundation-stone of the now- buildings being laid by the M . AA . G . M . 2 . That the cordial thanks of this Grand Lodge be also given to the AA . Bro . Albert AA . Woods , G . Dir . of Cers ., to the

R . AV . Bro . It . AV . Jennings , P . G . W ., and to the other brethren who acted as assistants to the Grand Director of Ceremonies , for the very admirable and efficient manner in which they preserved order and conducted the entire proceedings at the ceremonial of the foundation-stone being laid . 3 . That this Grand Lodge desires to record its hearty and grateful thanks to the

V . W . Bro . the Rev . Adolphus F . A . \ A oodfoi-d , G . Chap ., for the eloquent and instructive oration delivered by him on the occasion of laying tho foundation-stone of the new buildings . " These resolutions were unanimously carried , the first being seconded by Bro . SPIERS , Prov . G . M . for Oxfordshire ; the second by Bro . HEAD , P . S . G . D . ; arid the third by Bro . SAVAGE ,

P . S . G . D . Bro . ALEEED SMITH moved " That these votes should be engrossed on vellum , and presented to those to whom they were

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passed , so that for the future a record might be preserved of this interesting event . " The motion was unanimously agreed to . Bro . STEBBING , S . G . D ., then moved "That the votes of thanks to Bros . AVoods and Jennings should be engrossed in duplicate , " which was also agreed to . This being the whole of the business , the Grand Lodge was closed in ample form and with solemn prayer soon after ten o'clock .

Royal Benevolent Institution For Aged Freemasons And Their Widows.

ROYAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION FOR AGED FREEMASONS AND THEIR WIDOWS .

The annual meeting of the subscribers to this institution , was held at Freemasons' Hall , on Friday , the 20 th ult ., Bro . John Udall , P . J . G . D ., in the chair . The minutes of the annual general meeting held on the 15 th day of May , 1863 , having been printed and circulated , were taken as read . The secretary reported that the W . M . Grand Master , the Riht Hon . the Earl of ZetlandK . T . President of the

Institug , , tion , had named AVednesday , the 25 th January , 1865 , for the next Annual Festival , ancl that the Right Hon . the Earl de Grey and Ripon , Deputy Grand Master and Provincial Grand Master for AVest Yorkshire , had kindly consented to preside on that occasion . The following report of the audit was read , and ordered to be entered on the minutes , viz .:

—AA ' e , the undersigned , having audited the treasurer ' s accounts from the 1 st April , 1863 , to the 31 st March , 1864 inclusive , and the several vouchers having been produced , do find the same correct , aud as follows : —

ROYAL BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION . FOR MALE ANNUITANTS-. — £ s . d . Balance 31 st March , 1863 ... , 984 G 2 Subsequent receipts 2999 17 6 3984 3 8

Disbursements 1855 19 2 Purchase of £ 1 , 000 3 per Cent . Reduced 926 5 0 2782 4 2 Balance on this account 1201 19 0 FOB AVIDOWS' ANNUITANTS : —

Balance 31 st March , 1863 ... 741 5 7 Subsequent receipts 1847 16 2 2589 1 9 Disbursements ... 1148 8 1 Purchase of £ 550 3 per Cent . Reduced 509 8 9 — - 1657 16 10

Balance on this account ... ... 931 4 11 FOR SUSTENTATION OE BUILDING : — Balance 31 st March , 1863 ... 74 19 2 Subsequent receipts 62 7 7 137 6 9 Disbursements ... 5 10 0 Purchase of £ 57 12 s . 3 d . 3 per Cent . Consols ... 53 7 4 58 17 4

Balance on this account ,.. ... 78 9 5 Total balance in the hands of Messrs . Willis , Percival and Co ., bankers of the Treasurer ... £ 2211 13 10 ( Signed ) HENRY G . AVAREEN , *) . ,. J . R . SHEEN , j A"cllC 010-Grand Secretary's Office , Freemasons' Hall , London , AV . C , 2 nd May , 1864 .