The Question Of Grand Lodge Jurisdiction.

clearness how utterly unworthy of her high position is the course she has deliberately felt it her duty to pursue . If a small boy goes out of his way to kick a big one , who has just patted him on tho back in a kindly manner , tho latter has tho sympathy of tho bystanders . If he takes no notice

of tho small boy ' s attack , or is content with saying he will hold no further intercourse with him , ho retains that sympathy . But if taking advantage of his age and strength he proceeds to pummel the little assailant with all his might and main , he wantonly sacrifices the regard with which he

had been looked upon till then . It is immediately forgotten that the first blow was struck by tho small boy , and that he , therefore , as tho aggressor , merited some kind of rebuke or punishment . The sympathy is at onco transferred from the big boy to tho little one , and every ono sets to work

denouncing the former , and resolves on sending him to Coventry . Wo trust , however , the difference has not gone too far , and that it is not too lato for somo mutual Masonic friend to step in , and by sage advico bring about a reconciliation between tho disputants . The mediation of a third

and disinterested party ought not to be unavailing to restore peace and tranquillity between theso two sections of the Craft . Let Quebec respect tho rights of Elgin Lodge , and wo doubt not Scotland will respect the rights of Quebec . And as tho provocation to quarrel

came in the first instance from tho Quebec Grand Lodge , and as that , moreover , is the younger body , it would redound highly to its credit , if , as an act of grace ,

it took tho initiative in bringing about a re-establishment of the status quo . Nothing good can or ever does come of squabbling , ancl this is especially true of Freemasonry , which is nothing if not a harmonious body .

Various Classes Of Objectors Considered.

VARIOUS CLASSES OF OBJECTORS CONSIDERED .

WE remarked incidentally last week that " about the strangest thing that could happen in this world of ours would be to find out some proposition which commanded universal acceptance ; " and we then went on to notice some of the chief categories of thoso who make a point of objecting to every proposition which is submitted

to them . Thus , we mentioned the people who object on principle , a certain class of critics , the jealous people , and others . It is difficult to say which of these classes of objectors offers the most interesting study . The most difficult to deal with is unquestionably the man who uses

what is commonly considered the woman ' s argument . A , for instance , submits a plan to B , and asks him what he thinks of it ? "I don't like it at all , " says B . "Why not ? " asks A . "Because I don't , " says B , and there is no getting further . Wo venture to think the majority of

those who explain their reasons for an opinion by repeating it , without explanation , do so cither because they have no reasons to oiler , because they aro ashamed of their reasons , or because they axe afraid of being argued out of their opposition . Now , there is no arguing with a man

who says he doesn't do a thing " because he doesn't , " and there is no overcoming his stubborn refnsal to decline all further explanation . But wo do not know if , after all said and done , we would not rather have to deal with this class of persons than with those who object to everything

indiscriminately , and are ready to explain why . It does , for instance , occasionally happen that the man who tells you ho doesn't do a thing " because he doesn't , " goes out of his way to do a thing " because he does , " but this cannot be the case with him who always has not only an objection to

offer , but also a reason for offering it . Wo meet a good many kinds of people in the course of our wanderings , and among them are not a . few whom no amount of explanation , no argument , no apology , nor even the most wasteful expenditure of soft words will ever convince into a state of

satisfaction . You ought , says one , to have included ray name among those given at the end of yonr report . We do so on the next occasion , and aro blamed because it was not placed among those at the beginning or in the middle . We have not tacked on to his name tho full number of

initials letters he is entitled to , or we have displayed them to such an extent that every ono has been since chaffing him about those mysterious titles of his . He wants his copy posted to his business address , and complains when he finds he cannot read it over his matutinal eggs and muffins in the chambers or tbe bosom of his famil y . f lOne

Various Classes Of Objectors Considered.

month or ono week tho notice wo give of his Lodgo proceedings is a great deal too long , and should have been condensed to at least one-half ; another time it is far too short , and should have occupied at tho very least a column

or a column and a half . Wo ought to givo moro items of Mark Masonry , and when we havo tried to meet this particular wish , we are told that Craft news is of tho first importance , and all else should give way before it . Wo discuss matters which he thinks should not bo mentioned in

the hearing of profane people , or which aro likely to bo read by them , and when wo leave them out , wo aro told the matter is not worth looking into when thero is no discussion going on about these very sacred matters . We uphold a cause because wo believe it worthy of our support , and

we are charged with being personally interested in its success . We stand aloof and offer neither support nor opposition , and wo are abused because wo havo not lent any assistance . Now if these people had contented themselves with tho feminine reason aforementioned , namely ,

that they did'nt like this or that , " because they did'nt , " we should have been spared some annoyance , and a good deal of trouble . Wo should havo known they were stubborn people who never gave a reason even when they might-have a chance to have one : but wo should have

considered it our duty to hold them in respect , if not for tho emphatic iteration and re-iteration of objections , at all events for their consistency . In their case at all events we should not havo had to go several hundreds of times out of our way in order to try and please them and then found

theso laudable , if somewhat foolish , attempts had been only so much labour in vain , and that our objector was as wantonly cantankerous as ever . We trust we are not so churlish as to refuse to make an attempt to please

people when we hear they are displeased . We look , however , for some forbearance , some consideration in return , and when we have gono on time after timo acting on the various hints that may have been thrown out ; we look to receive some kind of acknowledgment that we havo tried

to give satisfaction , even though , from tho strange constitution of our objector ' s mind , we have failed to do so . The people who object on principle are very often of tho class we havo just attempted to describe , their principle being the principle of objecting invariably to everything .

Thoy need not occupy ^ therefore , any portion of our space . Nor need we waste a thought about those who oppose everything out of pure vindictiveness , or rather , as we said last week , from malice prepense . But let us say a word or two about those who allow themselves to be impelled into

opposition by feelings of jealousy , because tbey were not consulted , because in the proposed arrangements sufficient prominence is not given to certain views it is known they hold , or because they think some fancied rival is likely to make too much capital out of the proposal , in the event of

its success . Oftentimes in tho case of this class , a little attention , a timely suggestion , or an evident desire to meet them as far as possible , will convert them into staunch friends ; but let us beware of those among them who steadily act on the idea that nothing good can ever hy any

possibility come out of Nazareth . We have known cases of people who have systematically objected to everything that emanated from a particular source , for the single and

invariable reason that it came from that quarter . Had it occurred to themselves or any one else , nothing could possibly havo been better , and they would have supported it through good and evil , report .

But what has all this to do with Freemasonry , one of the main principles of which is brotherly love ? Wei ] , some Masons have a strange way of showing their love , " It was all very well to dissemble your lovo , But why did you kick mo downstairs . "

and this "kicking downstairs " prevails more largely than might have been expected in Masonic circles . We need not go further for an instance than to the opposition which is being offered to the proposed Assistance Fnnd , or in another way , to the quarrel between the Grand Lodges of

Scotland and Quebec . However , let us hope that in time this tendency to fall out or object will disappear , and that people will be able to quote with greater reason than they can now , the old saying , " Behold , how beautiful a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in unity ! "

The Prince of Wales , as Grand Master of Freemasons , has conferred the office of Junior Grand Warden of England for the ensuing year upon Sir " w . W . Truscott , Lord Mayor of London .