Halting Counsels.

next step would be to decide npon requirements , and theso should include an enlarged Temple , proper accommodation for members and officials , and a libraryand museum . The changes decided upon , there would be no difficulty in carrying them out . We are quite certain there would be no lack

of funds , and the spirit that caused the erection cf the parent building would revive in an even more vigorous degree in order to erect a Temple worthy of the noble Craft of Freemasonry , and a home fitted for the greatly increased number of brethren who now find it

necessary to use it for ceremonial and business purposes . The question as to the status of Past Masters stands in a somewhat different position to that of the rebuilding of

the Temple . Specific action has already been taken m the former case , and the issue now is—shall that action stand , be modified , or reversed ? We believe the majority of the brethren will decline to confirm the minutes , and if the

counsel of the indifferent prevail , all the time that has been devoted to the consideration of the subject will be thrown away , and a spirit of resentment will be aroused . The vote of August was wrong , and the motion in its present form is objectionable , but it was the outcome of a

grievance which was strongly felt by many brethren who are entitled to r espect . They were in possession of what had been al rea dy done by alterations in the rules , and still felt something more was required , hence the action subsequently taken . To suppose , therefore , that what

failed to stop th em from pursuing their purpose is likely to induce them quietly to resign the fruits of their victory , is to imagine a vain thing . Men are not used to surrender at discretion what they have succeeded in obtaining as the spoils of war ; they are the more likely to cling to them ,

and the best thing to do is to satisfy all reasonable demands , which if done in a manly , generous spirit , will ensure a willing obedience to what Grand Lodge shall determine . Our views are well known on the subject . Custom has always prescribed the remedy for any difficulty

that may arise as to the status of a . Past Master , aud all that is required to be done is to give private Lodges the power to make bye-laws for the purpose of converting custom into legal and recognised action . Were this done , the necessities of the whole case would be met , all cause

for ill-feeling would be swept away , and the indifferent would be rebuked . The time will soon arrive for action , and we trust that prudent counsels will prevail . We are convinced that delay in settling the Temple question

will only breed further trouble , and we are certain that to reverse the vote of last August , and leave matters where they were with regard to the status of Past Masters would end in discontent , and a large crop of difficulties in the time to come .

A Question That Agitates Masonry.

A QUESTION THAT AGITATES MASONRY .

EIVAL CLAIMS OF TWO SO-CALLED SUPREME GRAND COUNCILS .

nHHE question which is the Simon-pure , original and legitimate Supreme Grand Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Eite of Maso . nry in this country , ¦ which haa vexed high-grade Freemasons for more than half a century , is about to be precipitated for answer upon

the Supreme Grand Council of France . An adjudication of jthe rival claims of the so-called Gourgas and Cerneau Councils is not impending , for there is no tribunal in existence having jurisdiction , both these American bodies claiming equal power with the sister council that is now to be

fretted with the old controversy . At the request of the Supreme Grand Council of which William H . Peckham is the Most Puissant Sovereign Grand Commander , Claudius F . Beatty , Grand Marshal General , is about to visit Paris for the purpose of asking recognition from the

Supreme Grand Council of France as the representative of the only legitimate supreme body of the Scottish Rite in the United States . The representatives of the rival body will also be there , and it is believed that the showing of proofs and the presentation of facts and arguments will be

such that the French Council , from which the present Cerneau Council claims original authorisation , will speak in a manner that will heal the distraction in which many Masonic Craftsmen have long been held . Mr . Beatty is a Past Grand Officer of the Knig hts Templars of the

A Question That Agitates Masonry.

United States , and will sail day after to-morrow , on the City of Rome , with the Apollo Commandery , which will then start on a two months' pilgrimage to Europe .

Touching the controversy , which has developed evolutions that give the lay mind pause , like tbe question as to who is the original Bowery hatter , Mr . Peckham said yesterday to a Tribune reporter : —

" In the United States there are two Grand Councils that claim to exercise the privilege of conferring the degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Masonry . One is known as the Cerneau Council , and was founded in New York City on 27 th October 1807 ; the

other is the Gourgas Council or Northern Jurisdiction , founded in New Tork City in 1813 by Emanuel de la Motta , and resuscitated , after thirty years of extinction ,

in the Northern States by J . J . J . Gourgas , formerly a clerk of De la Motta . In 1863 the Gourgas Council was split in two parts , one of which was known as the Raymond Council and the other as the Van Rensselaer Council . Both

parties excommunicated and expelled each other . The Cerneau Council , then under the government of Edmund B . Hayes , united with the Raymond branch of the Gourgas Council , the number of Officers being doubled , so that all the nine Officers of the two Councils were retained . Under

this union , which was known as the Supreme Grand Council of the United States , the Southern Jurisdiction under Albert Pike , the Confederate General , and the Van Rensselaer Council , were entirely ignored . When the war was over Pike objected to what had been done ,

and the consolidation was dissolved , the Raymond Council joining with the Van Rensselaer . The Cerneau Council left the Raymond Council , and both Supreme Grand Councils continued to work as they had done previous to 1863 .

We are now fighting for the position we held previous to that time , Gourgas and Pike men are coming over to us in large numbers , and expulsions , red letter documents , and a flow of printer ' s ink are following them .

" We claim that we have had an unbroken succession of

legitimate Most Puissant Sovereign Grand Commanders since 1807 , when Joseph Cerneau established the Most Puissant Sovereign Grand Consistory with De Witt Clinton , Cadwallader D . LColden , Martin Hoffman , and other distinguished New Tork men as his inferior Officers .

We claim to be governed by the Constitutions of 1762 and 1862 , while the Southern and Northern Jurisdictions are governed by the so-called Constitutions of 1762 . These Constitutions are impudent and baseless forgeries which made their appearance about 1801 at Charleston . They

profess to have been signed by Frederick the Great at an alleged Convention of high-grade Masons in Berlin ; but for years previous to 1762 Frederick the Great was a hopeless paralytic at Sans Souci . Besides , he was opposed to high-grade Masonry , and Masonic history is silent

concerning such a conference . We propose now to have our rights established on the Continent of Europe as they have always been recognised . We want our rivals and tradacers to come over and be healed . We were a body in this city

in 1807 , recognised by France and brought here by France , and our territory was invaded in 1813 . We shall ask that we alone be recognised . " —New TorJc Daily Tribune .

An Old Masonic Oration.

AN OLD MASONIC ORATION .

THE following curious old oration was transcribed by me from the original manuscript in the possession of Bro . J . C . Robinson P . M ., of the Cestrian Lodge , Chester . It was delivered before the Provincial Grand Lodge of

Cheshire some time towards the close of the last or beginning of the present century , by Brother the Rev . Thomas Crane , who was Rector of St . Olave's Church from 1778 to his death , in 1820 , at the age of 82 , and who was Provincial Grand Chaplain . Unfortunately , the date of his chaplaincy is uncertain . T . B . WHYTEHEAD .

BBETHIIEN , —AS the Most Worshipful Grand Master of this Province haa solemnly convened ns that we may cement affection and connect the chain of friendship among the Lodges , 1 shall beg your attention for a moment on the subject of Freemasonry . , antient

The man who is a Mason has the honour to belong to a very and illustrious Society ; a Society which has been patronised by many of the most distinguished characters which have adorned the hlB *' '" page ; a Societ y which will probably descend to the latest ages ot tne