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Contents . —PASE FEEEMASONS' MAflAZINE : — The Fund of Benevolence 141 The Grand Lodge of Scotland and the St . John ' s Lodge Memorial 143

Separation of G . Commandery of Virginia from the G . Encampment , TJ . S 145 Religion and Masonry 146 Masonic Jottings—Ho . 6 B 147 Masonic Notes and Queries 147 Masonic Sayings and Doings Abroad 148 Correspondence 160 MASONIC MIEROE : —

Masonic Mems 151 "United Grand Lodgo 151 . CEABT LODG-E MjsETIKGS : — Metropolitan 152 Provincial 164 India 155 Mark Masonry 157 Masonic Festivities 157

Poetry 159 List of Lodge , & c , Meetings for ensuing week 160 Notice to Correspondents 160 ZONDON , SATURDAY , FEBRUARY 25 , 1871 ,

The Fund Of Benevolence.

THE FUND OF BENEVOLENCE .

As we frequently receive letters enquiring for information relating to the amended laws of the Fund of Benevolence , as altered and approved by-Grand Lodge , at the quarterly communication on the 2 nd of March , 18 70 , and confirmed on the

1 st of June , 1870 , to be substituted for pages 96 to 103 of the Book of Constitutions , Edition 1867 . We append the amended laws in exlenso for the information of our readers , to whose attention we again draw the notice of motion to be submitted

by Bro . John Savage , P . G . D ., at the meeting of Grand Lodge , on Wednesday next , viz : — That in the laws relating to the Fund of Beneeolence , in law 16 , after the Avords in lines 9 , 10 ,

and 11 , " shall not be effectual unfol confirmed at the next or a subsequent meeting of the Lodge of Benevolence , " be added the words , " except in cases of recommendations to the Grand Lodge . " We pointed out in our last tlie great hardship

entailed upon petitioners affected by the stipula tions named by Bro . Savage , in Law 16 as it now stands , and for the great necessity which exists for the amendment of the present very harsh proviso of waiting for confirmation in cases sent to Grand

Lodge . Thus , by Avay of illustration , as the law at present stands , the payment to a petitioner whose case was , at the last meetin g of the Lodge of Benevolence , recommended to Grand Lodge , cannot be paid until after the 16 th September next .

THE FUND OE BENEVOLENCE . 1 . The fund appropriated to the object of benevolence shall be solely devoted to charity .

2 . Every member of each lodge within the London district shall pay towards the fund of benevolence one shilling per quarter , or four shillings per annum , and and every member of each country and military lodge , sixpence per quarter , or two shillings per annum . 3 . The distribution and application of this fund shall

take place on the last Wednesday but one of every month , by a lodge of benevolence , which shall consist of a President or Master , to be appointed by the Grand Master , at the Grand Lodge in December , and of all the present and past Grand Officers , and all actual Masters of lodges , and tivelve Past Masters of lodges to be nominated at

the board of Masters annually in November , and to be elected by the Grand Lodge in December , in the same manner as the elected members of the Board of General Purposes ; but no Past Master shall be eligible to be reelected ivho shall have neglected to attend the Lodge of Benevolence at six meetings . If the actual Master ofthe

year of any lodge cannot attend , the Immediate Past Master may supply his place ; should that brother be unable to attend , some other Past Master of such lodge may act for himibut in every case the Past Mastor must be a

subscribing member of the lodge . The brother presiding shall be bound strictly to enforce all the regulations of the Graft respecting the distribution of this fund , and shall be satisfied , before any petition be read , that all the required formalities have been complied with . Attheboard ofMasters next preceding the Grand Lodge

in December , brethren shall be nominated for election to the offices of senior and junior vice-presidents of the Lodge of Benevolence , and the names so nominated shall be submitted to Grand Lodge in December , who shall elect a senior vice-president and a junior vice-president , out of the names respectively submitted for

those offices , in the same manner as in the case of elected members of the Board of General Purposes . The vicepresidents so elected shall act as Wardens of the Lodgo of Benevolence during the ensuing year . In the absence of the president , and in the absence of both , fche junior vice-president , the senior vice-presidents shall take

the chair ; should all three be absent , the brother present who is highest in rank and seniority shall preside : and if either of the vice-presidents shall be absent , or be in the chair , his place shall be filled in like manner . No brother shall be re-elected

as a vice-president Avho shall have failed to attend the Lodge of Benevolence at six meetings during tho twelve months immediately preceding . The members shall not be subject to canvass or previous solicitation , bufc shall havo their minds free from prejudice , to decide on the merits of each case with the

impartiality and purity of masonic feeling . If it shall appear that this rule has been wilfully transgressed , the consideration of the case of thc brother on whose behalf the canvass or solicitation has been made , shall bo deferred for the space of three months ; and no member shall at any time vote upon the petition of any person ,

for whom ho may have been canvassed , or to Avhom he s related , or who is a member of the lodge to which he himself belongs ; though such member may be heard