Past Deputy Grand Masters J. Gilman Waite, Louis C. Southard, William H. L. Odell, and Herbert E. Fletcher, Past Grand Wardens James H. Gleason, William H. H. Soule, Charles A. Litchfield, Charles M. Green, Leon M. Abbott, Harry P. Ballard, Oliver A. Roberts, William M. Belcher, Charles S. Robertson, Eugene C. Upton, and John A. McKim, District Deputy Grand Masters Edmund S. Young, Granville C. Fiske, and William H. Allen, Grand Treasurer Charles H. Ramsay, Grand Marshal William M. Farrington, Grand Lecturer Frederic L. Putnam, Wor. and Rev. Grand Chaplains E. A. Horton and R. Perry Bush, and the Grand Tyler, Wor. Brother George W. Chester. Many other Brethren prominent in the Fraternity attended. Our Senior Grand Chaplain, Wor. and Rev. Brother Horton, participated in the service as did also Rev. Francis L. Beal, Chaplain of Putnam Lodge, of Cambridge.

R.W. HENRY A. BELCHER.

R.W. Henry A. Belcher, Deputy Grand Master in 1896 and a member of the Board of Directors for many years, died at his home in Randolph on January 20, 1915. He was constant in his attendance upon the Communications of the Grand Lodge and the meetings of the Board of Directors, and has always been a loyal and enthusiastic Mason as well as a successful merchant and highly respected member of the community.

Committees on Memorials have been appointed and will report at this Communication.

RAINY DAY FUND.

It has now been one year since the "Rainy Day Fund" appeal was issued (see Proceedings for 1914, page 220). It seems proper, therefore, that I should supplement the report made in December by giving you a statement of the Fund as it stands at present and the names of the contributing bodies which were not reported at the December Communication. The Fund is as follows:

Out of 430 Masonic Bodies 266 have sent contributions or 63, 8 other lodges have promised but not yet remitted.

In addition to the contributors named in the Grand Master's Address of the last Annual Communication, the following Masonic bodies have contributed to the Fund:

I extend to all the contributors the hearty thanks of the Fraternity for their generous contributions.

REGALIA.1

Exercising the authority granted me at the December Communication to put the regalia of Grand Lodge Officers into conformity with the Grand Constitutions and with the ancient customs of the Craft, I have procured from the official manufacturers to the Grand Lodge of England a Grand Master's apron which is now worn for the first time. It is an exact duplicate of the apron worn by His Royal Highness the Duke of Connaught, Most Worshipful Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England, and by his predecessors for more than a century at least, except in the color of the border, lining, and strings which is purple, while the color used by our Mother Grand Lodge is garter blue. Gaunt

1 1914 Mass. 353, 364.

Infra Page 331.

lets for the Grand Master have been ordered, but not yet received. The gauntlets which I am now wearing are the identical ones worn by M.W. Abraham H. Howland Jr. who was Grand Master from 1884 to 1886 inclusive. When the new gauntlets are received these will be placed with other curiosities of the Craft. Conformity will gradually be made in the regalia of other Grand Officers, gauntlets being for the present worn only by the Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master, and District Grand Masters.

BUSINESS OFFICE.

An accounting and supply system in accordance with modern business methods is now being installed in room 207 of this Temple, while the office of the Board of Masonic Relief and the Relief Commissioner has been moved to room 208. The Address concerning certain financial matters which I promised to make to you at this meeting has necessarily been postponed until after the accounting system has been for some months in full operation so that it can be drawn upon for assistance in comparison of figures and compilation of accounts.

The Supply Department has for sale the following:

1 The Records of the St. John's and Massachusetts

The above prices are to Officers and Members of the Grand Lodge, including the Masters and Wardens of Lodges, for their own personal or Lodge use and do not include postage. To all others, items (1), (2), and (3) are $2.00 each.

Requests made in person for supplies of any nature should hereafter be made at room 207. Requests made by mail should be sent to the Grand Secretary as heretofore, but will be filled by the Supply Department on his requisition.

The M.W. Grand Master appointed as a committee to consider the amendments to the Grand Constitutions recommended in his Address,

M.W. CHARLES T. GALLAGHER,

R.W. WILLIAM H. RIDER, and

R.W. FRANK VOGEL.

NOMINATION OF PERMANENT

GRAND LODGE.

MEMBERS OF THE

The M.W. Grand Master then nominated R.W.

District Grand Masters David Urquhart, of Val