Freemasonry In England.

which had been advanced from the Charity Fund , should cease to be paid , and the principal annihilated , and sunk , in the hall fund . Many other regulations were made at this meeting to render the hall fund more productive , and to enforce the laws respecting it . At a Grand Lodge , held on the 23 rd of November , 1783 , an addition was made to the number of

Grand Officers , by the appointment of the Bev . "William Peters , as Grand Portrait Painter .- On the 19 th of November , information was given to Grand Lodge that two brethren , under the sanction of the Eoyal Military Lodge at Woolwich , which claimed the privilege of an itinerant Lodge , had held meetings iu the King ' s Bench prison , and there initiated several persons into Masonry . This being considered an infringement on the

privileges of every regularly constituted Lodge , it was determined to be inconsistent with the principles of Masonry , to hold any Lodge for the purpose of Making , Passing , or Baising Masons in any prison or place of confinement , and that the Lodge which had sanctioned such proceedings should be erased from the list . On the 2 Oth of March , 17 8 8 , au additional regulation was made to the effect " That ten shillings and sixpence be paid

to the Grand Lodge for registering the name of every Mason initiated in any Lodge under the Constitution , after the 5 th of May , 1788 , " and at this meeting it was also resolved , " That no Lodge should be permitted to attend or vote in Grand Lodge , which did not comply with this regulation . " On the 9 th of March , 1786 , His Eoyal Highness Prince William Henry , afterwards Duke of Clarence , was initiated into Masonry , at Lodge No . 86 ,

held at the George Inn , at Plymouth . On the 4 th of January , 1787 , the Grand Chapter of Harodim was opened in London . Though of ancient date and patronised in different parts of Europe , there appears no record of its regular establishment previous to this period . For some years it was but little supported , until its merits became better known , when it gained the patronage of several distinguished Masons .

On the 6 tn of February , 1787 , His Eoyal Highness the Prince of Wales , was initiated into Masonry , at an occasional Lodge held for that purpose , at the Star and Garter Tavern , Pall Mall , over which the Duke of Cumberland presided in person . On the 21 st of November following , His Eoyal Highness the Duke of York was initiated into Masonry at a special Lodge convened for that purpose , at the same place , over which the Grand

Master also presided in person ; His Eoyal Highness was introduced by his brother the Prince of Wales , who assisted at his initiation . On the 25 th of March , 1788 , was instituted the Eoyal Freemasons ' Charity for female children , for maintaining , clothing and educating the female children and orphans of indigent brethren . To the exertions of Chevalier Euspine the brethren are indebted for this excellent

establishment . It was originally founded under the patronage of the Duchess of Cumberland , and to her fostering care its success may be greatly attributed . On the 1 st of January , 1789 , fifteen children were admitted to a house provided for them at Somers Town , St . Parcras , and by the liberal support of the Craft , in India as well as England , the Governors were enabled to increase the number of children from time to time to sixty-five .