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SATURDAY , 5 TH SEPTEMBER 1891 .

Grand Lodge Of Canada.

GRAND LODGE OF CANADA .

THE Grand Lodge of Canada A . F . and A . M . met on the 22 nd Jane , and was tho largest meeting of the Craft ever held in Canada . Almost every section of the jurisdiction mas represented . The Communication was held in the Grand Opera Honse . Throughout the session the bnilding was crowded to its utmost capacity . At eleven o'olook the Grand Lodge was opened in dne form by Most Worshipful Bro . J . Ross Robertson , who delivered the following address :

The pleasure of meeting my brethren of Grand Lodge aa they assemble in this their thirty-Bixth annual Communication is enhanced by a knowledge that the oalendar of the Craft year is marked by evidences of advancement and material progress . This meeting , as you are all aware from the record in the minutes , is a continuation of the regular annual Communication opened on Wednesday , 15 th July , and called off to meet on this date . The Grand Master then referred to work of the officers and to his

visits to England and the country Lodges . My pleasure is completed by an assurance that out of the three hundred and fifty Lodges on the roll , sixty per cent , are in an aotive and prosperous condition ; thirty per cent ., while in a semi-prosperous Btate , are showing in eaoh case strong signs of improvement ; only 7 per cent , are weak : and three per cent , ore either dormant or dead .

In not a small per oentage of the aotive and prosperous Lodges , the improvement during the year , even if slow , has been very marked . In those doing less than average work many causes combine to keep them back in the general advancement , while in those that are retrograding a settled inertness prevails , which Beems to defy even the persistent efforts of my faithful Distriob Deputies and myself . Those that are dormant are better in that condition than if

struggling for existence , and the Lodges whioh have passed away have done so with a decorum that was lacking in much of their work while in life . On the office of the Master he said : —There is , therefore , no doubt that after an examination as close as one can make in a brief visit , the eleotion to the East of brethren who are

utterly incompetent , not to say indifferent , and who are honoured either from personal popularity or by persistent oanvassing for office , is a primary cause of trouble in Lodges . This , followed by the wilful neglect of Boards of Installed Masters , who deliberately violate their obligations and duties by presenting for installation brethren who ofttiraes aro actually known to the Board to possess but

the rudiments of the work , is another source from whioh danger springs , while the rapid change in office , for which the rising membership oraves , relegates a W . M . to a P . M . ' s seat before he has perfeoted in tho Master's work and duty . Executive zeal on the part of secretaries was commended . The "drink cnrso" was also commented npon and condemned . In the exemplification of

the work it is satisfactory to know that there is a steady improve , ment— -an advance that is in great part due to the aotivity of my District Deputies , as well as to the persistent efforts made by the Committee on the condition of Masonry for years past to impress the necessity for progress in this feature . You will , I am sure , be gratified to learn that 260 out of the 350 W . M . ' s can exemplify the

E . A ., F . C ., and M . M . ; 48 can exemplify the E . A . and F . C . ; 29 can work the E . A . j 9 are only able to open and close , and 3 are unable to do the work . The warrants for new Lodges at Suudridge and Pickering have been issued , the Lodges instituted , and the dispensation of St . Clair Lodge , at Port Lambton , continued . I have granted a dispensation

lor Stanley Lodge , Toronto Junction , a Lodgo which promises to do effective work in a territory which , with its large increase in population , was entitled to an opportunity for Masonio fellowship . The Lodge . rooms at Collingwood , Pickering , Oshawa , and Sundridge have also been dedicated during the year . The text of the ceremony for dedication authorised by Grand Lodge might be materially

improved . Its exemplification has not an impressive effect , and were it not that the Officera who perform the dnty have an opportunity of amplif ying it with a contribution of original thought their ceremonial would be devoid of interest . In England it is one of the most intereating in the Craft series . I leave the matter in the hands of Grand -kodge . I decline to grant a dispensation for a new Lodge at uessaion

j- , in the seventeenth distriot . The population is sparse , and , as a prominent brother says , to open a Lodge at Thessalon would be merely to organize a degree factory . I also decline to grant a dispensation for a Lodge at Havelock , in tho twelfth disth T T ° ° S 0 Wonld materiallv interfere with the work of at least tnree Lodges within a radius of a few miles . Neither of these

applications had the endorsation of the D . D . G . M . of the district . I also received an application for a dispensation for a new Lodge , to De known as Mount Acre , the proposed meeting place of which was me corner of College Street and Dovercourt Road , Toronto . I did not refuse the dispensation , but resolved to hold it and to report to tne uoard of General Purposes for the consideration of Grand Lodge . J-ne proposed site is within fifteen minutes' walk of two Lodges to

Grand Lodge Of Canada.

the west of it , and twenty minutes of two to the South—all proaperous Lodge 9 . The Lodge , if warranted , should meet not nearer than the corner of Bloor and . Baihurst Streets , or not south of Bloor Strset , which wonld givn it a fair amount of territory and enable it to do efficient work . From inquiry I am led to believe that the petitioners aro not a unit as to the location of this Lodge .

The expense of the G . Secretary ' s Office for the past 26 years amounts to 70 , 867 " 36 dols . While my relations , offioial and personal , with that Officer have been of tbe happiest oharaoter , a conviction presents itself to me that Grand Lodge should BO arrange that his entire time should be devoted to the work , and that the services of a stenographer should be paid for either oat of the amount allotted

for the office or that an increase should be provided to meet the expense . In these modern days , with the mass of correspondence connected with an office of this oharaoter , suoh an aid is indispensable . The experience of the past year convinces me that , with the olerioal aid suggested , a large portion of my correspondence could have been transmitted through the Grand Secretary ' s Office .

A large number of the Secretaries of Lodges are not prompt in remitting returns . Many Lodges are invariably in arrear for statutory payments and returns for the Benevolent Board . Applications are received without the necessary and required information , and the oonduot of other business would be visibly improved if adequate assistance were provided . Another large expense is

incurred in connection with the Board of General Purposes—in twenty-six years , no loss a sum than 17 , 721 * 28 dols . We 'all recognise the work of the Board , and as a directing body in the transactions of Grand Lodge its services are invaluable . It is composed on an average of fifty members , all of whom are presumed to share in its deliberations and assist in the discharge of its work , and

yet we know that the actual business of the board is practically accomplished by less than a dozen members . Possibly the foot that the expenses for attendance are paid creates undue competition for sineoures on the Board , either by eleotion or appointment . The persistent canvassing for the Board is a feature that is not in harmony with true Masonio practice , and encourages'the opinion

that the time may come when the payment will be abolished . Without any desire to influence the judgment of Grand Lodge , it seems to me , at least , tho labour might be discharged by a reduced membership , by eliminating from the Board the District Deputy Grand Mastera . While I quite recognise and appreoiate the zeal , ability , and worth of these officers , I fail to see the reason why the framers of onr

Constitution should have considered that they were entitled to a ' seat upon the Board , as they are , in my opinion , only tbe Deputies of the Grand Master in their respective districts . If this reduction ' were made and payment granted the members of the Board for only the two days preceding the meeting of Grand Lodge , a material reduction would be made in our expenditure .

The incoming year brings with it the Centennial of the Craft in this jurisdiction . One hundred years ago the first Provincial Grand Lodge of Upper Canada opened in Niagara , Ontario , arid at the same time the pioneer Craft Lodge of this city , " RaWdbn , or the' Lodge between the Lakes , No . 498 , E . R ., " was at work within sight of this Grand East . I purpose at this meeting appointing the" Committee

ordered by Grand Lodge in 1889 to consider how this important event may be celebrated in a fitting manner . During the year death has called many brethren who were dear to us , one our Pnsfc Grand Master M . W . Bro . J . A . Henderson , whose presence . was always welcome , also R . W . Bros . J . Morrison Dunn , Robert Leslie , and V . W . Bro . H . Ponton , all brethren who in their time did yeoman work in the Craft . Another brother , prominent in

matters political as the First Minister of the Crown , the Right Hon . Bro . Sir John A . Macdonald , representative of the Grand Lodge of England near the Grand Lodge of Canada , has also gone to his last home . The R . W . Brother , although unable through pressure of publio duties to take an active part in Craft matters , always looked npon the Fraternity with kindly favour , and was proud of his connection with Masonry . —Canadian Craftsman .

The annual meeting of the Provincial Grand Lodge of Durham will be held on Tuesday , the 29 th of September , in the Royal Assembly Hall , South Shields , under the presidency of R . W . Bro . Sir Hedworth Williamson , Bart .,

supported by the Officers of the Provincial Grand Lodge . It is expected that R . W . Bro . Sir Matthew White Ridley , Bart ., P . G . M . of Northumberland , and Officers of hia Lodgo -will honour the meeting with their presence .

It -will be in the recollection of many of onr readers that some two months back Brother George Dickinson P . M . Londesborough Lodge , No . 1681 , met with a serious accident , —in Piccadilly . He was knocked down by a careless driver , and the vehicle went over both his legs .

Our good brother's many friends will be glad to hear he is now happily recovering , and has made Great Yarmouth his place of sojourn for a few weeks . What with the bracing air and the nourishing properties of the succulent bloater , Bro . " Dickon " hopes soon to be himself again ,

and ho is already acquiring a grand reputation for his expressions of opinion as to the merits of the Norfolk and Suffolk " fliers , " as the denizens of " bloater " land love to call their trotting ponies . We trust the weather may havo improved since our last advices from these parts .