Party Spirit In Masonry.

allowed this to appear in tlio form in which ii did under any niroumsi uncos , even ilmugh , ns AVUS Ihe esisu actually . ' the customary provisoes wero inserted at tho head of the Correspondence Column against the editor being in any

way responsible for the opinions it contained ; but in addition to allowing it to appear iu all its native ugliness of expression , the editor went out of his way to give it a certain amount of approval . "Wo insert , " said he , " this ' stroiic ? meat' for ' babes . ' as we aro not insensible to the

threatened evils ' B . F . ' sneaks of . —En . " We havo preferred imagining that the editor intended these words to convey only a qualified approval . We are unwilling to suppose ho endorsed snch objectionable expressions as " mendacious calumnies , " "debasing animosities of party

spirit and personality , and others equally forcible ancl impolite . For ourselves wo do not envy tho man the spirit which prompted him to write in so offensive a strain of brother Masons , who , as " X . " is careful to indicate , have the right to ask thafc their opinions shall bo treated

with respect . We have already suggested that men , because they happen to be Masons , aro not ou that account likely to hold , in respect of all questions that como before them , the very same opinions . We give all credit for being animated by the one ancl only desire to do their utmost to

promote the welfare of the whole Masonic body . But it is only in the nature of things that somo should think they will best attain the desired end by promoting this particular line of policy , and others by promoting thafc . Hence our strong objection to the use of such expressions

as we have quoted , and to such abuse as is intended to be conveyed b y the employment of snch terms as " cabal , " " coterie , " " petty clique , " and " audacious caucus . " We have said already that it may nofc havo been wise , expedient , or reasonable for any one to move that the whole of tho old

Committee should be supplanted by one entirely new ; but ifc is one thing to reason thus , and another to pick out all the hardest words from the English vocabulary in order to

express one ' s opposition to the proposed nomination . To pursue the one course indicates a readiness to listen to argument ; the other involves nothing else than abuse of the most contemptuous kind .

We have been led to make these remarks by no spirit of rivalry . We unhesitatingly express our belief that our contemporary has , in tho course of its long , career , clone good service to the fraternity , and Ave as unhesitatingly endorse X . ' s views as to tho great credit due to its

proprietor for his services both to Masonic journalism and Masonic literature . But the cares and responsibilities of a large business , with several subordinate branches in the provinces and elsewhere , must of necessity claim his almost undivided attention , and he has a right to expect , nay to

insist , that those Avho assist him editorially should do so in a spirit of loyal and fraternal respect for the acts and opinions of their brethren . They cannot be so ignorant as not to know they must be doing him a great disservice when they make the journal , Avhich is his property , the

medium for circulating all kinds of most objectionable personalities . We do not claim to be immaculate . Wc have doubtless written many things AVC Avould rather have left unwritten , but neither on this , nor on any former occasion , have wo been actuated by personal hostility in advocating the policy Ave have considered it our duty to uphold .

We cannot do better , in concluding these remarks , than quote two passages from X . ' s letter , as AVO feel they -will receive from our readers tho sanction they are entitled to . Said X ., in the first instance , "If ' party spirit and personal feeling ' are disturbing elements in the Freemasonry of the

present generation of Craftsmen , they will be intensified , not removed , by such writing as I have been commenting upon , Avhether that Avriting takes the form of editorial animadA'ersions of a personal character , or of ' strong meat ' for ' babes' Avhich has received editorial sanction and

approval . " And again , " If the editor of the journal in question Avill only disabuse his mind of tho idea that every one Avho differs Avith him is unprincipled , and that Freemasons are not such bad felloAvs as ho seems to think they are , I am sure hcAvill feel mucli happier , and the Freemason Avill be better appreciated . "

North And East Yorkshire.

NORTH AND EAST YORKSHIRE .

"VXTE are glad to hear that tho Masonic Charities Association for ' ' this Province is now fairly on its legs . There was a meeting of tho Association at York on tho 20 th ult ., when a code of vegu ' ations was adopted , which will be submitted to tho next meeting of Provincial Grand Lodgo at Scarborough in October next .

United Grand Lodge Of England.

UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND .

' BlffR Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodgo was held on * ¦ Wednesday evening ' , at Freemasons' Hall . Tlie Earl of Carnarvon Pro Grand Muster presided , and there wero somo 700 or SOO brethren present . On the minutes of last Quarterly Communication in March lv-ing put for confirmation , liro . James Stevens P . M . 720 moved that , tho portion whirli nou-eonfirniod the resolution eomo to : it the meeting in December on Bro . Stevens' motion en Uniformit y

of "Ritual be not confirmed . Bro . Stevens explained that li <> dg ] not expert to carry his resolution , but ho did nofc wish fo plane himself in antagonism to Grand Lodge . His desire in making the motion was that ho might not be inconsistent in bringing forward a motion which ho had on the paper for a later p-viocl of the evening . Considerable intorrnption marked the delivery of Bro . Stevens' speech . Bro .

Monckt o " , rising to a point of order , said that by the Book of Constitutions the minntes camo np for confirmation only on the question of whether thoy wero correctly recorded , and Bro . Stevens was out of order unless ho moved that they wore not correct . Bro . Stevens cheerfully accep ted tho ruling of Bro . Monckton , bnt referring to tho motion of Bro . McKay in March which was carried , insisted on knowing why

that motion was not out of order , if his ( Bro . Stevens' ) motion was . Tho Pro Grand Master rnled Bro . Stevens out of order , and tho minntes were then confirmed . Tho ballot for members of tho Board of General Purposes nnd the Colonial Board then took place , and tho scrutineers of votes proceeded to their duties . Tho Earl of Onslow , Senior Grand Warden , who waa not present at tho Grand Festival

was then invested with his apron and collar ancl took his seat as Senior Grand Warden , after which he waa saluted . The Pro Grand Master proposed tho addition of Bro . Philbrick and Bro . J . A . Rucker to the Committee appointed in March , with reference to the purchase made by tho Board of General Purposes . Tho Committee had not vet been able to sit , the members being engaged on other business .

Ho hoped , however , to report on tho subject referred to them at next Grand Lodge . Grand Eegistrar having seconded the motion , it was put and carried . Bro . G . P . Britten called attention to tho system of canvassing for votes for the elections that evening by papers containing names of thoso sought to be elected being put into tho brethren's hands , when they camo into the Hall . Thero were

two lists , tho house list , and the opposition list , and he wished to know if this was done by tho authority of the Pro G . Blaster , or by anv competent authority . Was canvassing in this form held to be a suitable or Masonic proceeding ? The Pro Grand Master said that tho papers referred to had just been pub into his hands for the first time . They had not been issued by his authority , or , ns far as he

knew , by any constituted authority . It was not an uncommon practice , but he was far from saying it was a regular or satisfactory one . If notice was to be taken of it , he wonld like tho whole matter well considered . If it was desirable to carry it further , brethren who took an interest in these matters might look into the matter sorionsly , and , if they could seo their way clearly to a method of remedying it ,

the Grand Lodge would listen to them . Before moving the confirmation of the other grants made to distressed brethren and widows by tho Lodge of Benevolence , which amounted to - £ 1 , 300 , Bro . Clabon said ho would bo glad if they were confirmed , but tho Lodge of Benevolence was spending more than ifcs income . He hoped thafc tho £ 50 , 000 accumulated fund would not be touched in order to make up

any deficiency , and he thought tho best way of meeting the difficulty would be to increase by a small sum tho brethren ' s quarterages . Bro . Brackstone Baker said ho did not wish to seo the accumulated fund touched . Ho thought tho grants wero too large , and ho advocated economy . Bvo . G . P . Britten protested against the doctrine thafc the aeenmnlated fivncl was a sacred fund thafc conld not

be touched . Surely there conld be no harm in trenching on it in case of a deficiency , Bro . John Holden thong-ht the sums voted were too large . There onght to bo justice as well as generosity . The Report of tho Board of General Purposes as given in tho FREEMASON ' S CuROMCT / Elast week was after somo discussion adopted . The Grand Eegistrar explained fcho circumstances connected with the following : — ( 1 . ) Appeal by the W . Master , Officers , and other Members of the

Joppa Lodge , No . 8 R 4 , Cape Town , against the decision of the District Grand Master of Sonth Africa , Western Division , for declining to entertain a complaint against certain Brethren of the Lodgo for conspiring to black ball Candidates . ( 2 . ) Also appeal by Brother Thomas Gardner , the Secretary of tho said Lodge , No . 861 , complaining of certain expressions used respecting him by the District Grand Secretary , in an Official Communication addressed to him bv direction of the District Grand

Master . The first appeal he moved shonld be dismissed , and tho second thafc not being against a judicial decision of tho District Grand Master of South Africa , it could not bo entertained . These having been seconded , were carried . Brother Lieut .-Colonel John Creaton Grand Treasurer , moved

:--" That tho sum of £ 70 be given from the Fund of General Purposes ; that the money be placed in the hands of the Secretary of the " Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons , " to supply tho Residents of the Institution at Croydon with Coals during the winter season . The motion was seconded bv Bro . Joshua Nunn , and carried .

Brother James Stevens P . M . No . 720 , moved . "That inasmuch as all laws made by this Grand Lodge should be strictly observed and respected , this Grand Lodge is of opinion thafc the resolution of Grand Lodgo to appoint' a Committee of Past Masters for enquiry into the merits of the respective systems of

working , & c , adopted on the 1 st December 18 f > 9 , and confirmed on tho 2 nd March 1870 , and which thereby and in accordance with the Constitutions of the Fraternity , regulating the government of Grand Lodgo ( Section 8 , page 28 ) , became a law , should be carried into effect . " The motion was seconded by Bro . Driver . The Rev . C . W . Arnold