The New South Wales Schismatic Grand Lodge.

THE NEW SOUTH WALES SCHISMATIC GRAND LODGE .

THAT is a curious feature Avhich has characterised Freemasonry throughout nearly the whole of its more recent history , namely , the superiority of the centrifugal over its centripetal force . We might well have imagined that being a fraternal body , the atoms of which ifc was composed would

invariably , and with a machine-like regularity , have gravitated towards tho centre . Thafc , indeed , is the general experience of mankind in respect of all well-ordered , properly conditioned , and properly-compounded bodies , thafc their constituent parts cohere and balance justly about what is

known as their respective centres of gravity . Whether ifc is that Freemasonry , being out of the common order of bodies , or being rather a class of body all by itself , is able with impunity to take liberties with the forces by which it is actuated or nofc , is a question on which ifc is needless we

shonld offer any opinion . Apparently it must be so , us its centre of gravity is constantly being displaced , and yet good instead of harm is invariably the result . In 1738 or thereabouts occurred the first of these serious displacements , and ifc took exactly three quarters of a century to

bring the central body of Freemasonry into order again with all its parts adjusted as they should be . Then in Scotland , where , -with all due respect to our brethren north of the Tweed , Freemasonry , though an important body , must be looked upon as having an inferior importance to

thafc of England , has more than once had its annoying illustrations of the degree to which its centrifugal or tangential force prevails over its centripetal force , or the force of gravitation . Moro than once has a formidable part of it flown off afc a tangent . We have seen the same thing happening in

France , in Germany , and the United States , and we see it even now happening in one of the Colonies of the British Crown . To drop metaphor , wherever Freemasonry has established itself , there sooner or later must a section of it fly off afc a tangent , detaching itself from the central body ,

and setting up for itself as an independent body . In some cases a redintegration of the different parts takes place , while in others the disintegration continues ; bnt whatever happens , Freemasonry in all its original purity and perfection survives and nourishes . Ifc is nofc in the power of

disappointed or dissatisfied brethren to injure seriously , much less permanently , the Grand Temple of our Fraternity , the structure which has existed through the Ages , and will endure till Time shall change into Eternity . But we are wandering , as Carlyle might say , into the "

profundities , " and it is not given to all people to appreciate the language of philosophers . Wo must . speak in the language of earth , that is , earthy , or we shall be

unintelligible . One of those acts of secession which Freemasonry has so frequently witnessed is now being attempted . The scene of this imagined disaster is New South Wales , one of the Colonies of the British Crown . Ifc is well known to

our readers that the Lodges of the United Kingdom havo daughter Lodges established in most of the British possessions . These Lodges work satisfactorily as a rule , be they under the English , Irish , or Scotch Constitutions , and whafcjs still more to the purpose , they work amicably

among themselves . The English , tho Irish , and the Scotch brethren aro always animated by the best of feelings towards each other . They visit and revisit each other constantly , and the spectacle is a most edifying one . There is nothing -wonderful in this . We are not disposed to lay any particular stress upon it . Indeed , we only note the

fact in order to contrast it with the different picture which is presented to us in this colony of New South Wales . There are , it seems , a dozen Lodges , or thereabouts , which , being actuated by unfraternal feelings , are resolved on throwing off their allegiance to their respective parent Grand

Lodges . They are starting a Grand Lodge of their own , and they are now seeking , with an audacity which so well becomes the mere parvemi , to be recognised by some of the Grand Lodges of America . We do nofc know thafc they have heretofore received any encouragement to continue in

their erratic course . On the contrary , they have , so far as we know , been , in more than one instance , very properly and unmistakably snubbed . Last week we published a letter from Bro . Jacob Norton on this secession , or schism , and though we do not agree with him in the advice he

offers , we do not think ifc possible for any one to have described the conduct of these New South Wales Lodges in more truthful , and at the same time , more offensive language . His advice , to lefc them go and form their new Graud Lodge , is offered merely from a sense of the writer ' s

utter contempt for such paltry conduct . So we read his tone and style , at least , if nofc his actual words . Our friend is likewise smart in his expressions about Ancient Landmarks , for which , however , we nofc only profess , bufc feel the most profound respect . We do not mean by this thafc

we accept whatever landmarks it may please a Masonic writer to set up . We attribute very little importance to what Bro . Baton may havo written on the subject , ancl we onl y accept his ruling when we find it in agreement with , abler and trustworthy authorities . Therefore , we care verv little

whether , as Bro . Norton properly points out , Bro . Baton has laid it clown that a certain number of Lodges , to wit , three , can establish a Grand Lodgo , in territory where no Grancl Lodge has previously existed . Had Bro . Paton written thirty or three hundred his opinion would have

been equally a matter of indifference to us . What does concern us is the question whether a few dissatisfied Lodges in one of our Colonies shall be permitted to disturb the equanimity of the Order for their own selfish ends . Ifc is not a question about the purity of Masonic doctrine

which so severely exercises these schismatics thafc they cannot continue to live in a state of peace and goodwill with their brethren in the same Colony . They are not engaged in championing any particular cause which might appeal to our sense of admiration and sympathy . They

are nofc doing battle against the oppressive edicts of their mother Grancl Lodges . They are simply ministering to their own selfish greed for the tinsel of Freemasonry . They want to have a Grand Lodge because a Provincial Grand Lodge is not grand enough , There must be no qualifying

" Provincial " to show their dependence on a remote Grand Lodge or Lodges . Some among them aspire to be Grand Officers , Grand Masters , Deputy Grand Masters , Grand Wardens , & c , & c . They imagine it will add to their importance , and thafc Graud Master Jenkins will be a more

dignified Masonic being than Provincial Grand Master , and thafc Grand S . Warden Jones will impress the beholders with a deeper sense of his importance than his Prov . G . S . Wardenship does at present . Bro . Norton ' s advice is , by

all means let them go and form a Grand Lodge , and if the schismatic Lodges had only to be thought of , wc should say that Bro . Norton ' s was the very best advice that conld be offered . Whatever of good pertains to their Lodges , emanated in the first instance from the Grand Bodies to

which they owe their existence , ancl once their connection with the latter is dissevered , they lose all respectability . Lodge No . 10 , 599 , holding under the G . Lodge of England ,