The Jurisdiction Question.

Craft in the United Kingdom . Difficulties of course must in the order of things occasionally arise , as was recently the case as between the Grand Lodges of Scotland and Quebec , a difference , by the way , which we rejoice to say , has passed away without leaving behind it any degree

or kind of ill-feeling . But strange to say , in the United States , where almost every state or territory has its own independent Graud Lodge , a very considerable amount of jealousy is exhibited , whenever a question of jurisdiction is raised . This , after all , is not so very surprising when we

bear in mind the amazing progress which is being made in populating new districts . To us who live in the old country , the rapidity with which a region , almost entirely uninhabited except by a sparse population of so-called Indians , is converted into a territory , ancl the territory

is promoted to the rank of a state , is well nigh inconceivable . Of course , where the white man penetrates , there he quickly establishes something in the shape of a Masonic Lodge , and as in respect of Masonic jurisdiction , the newly occupied country

is , as it were , a kind of " No man ' s land , " in which it is lawful for any of the numerous independent Grand Lodges in the States to establish an offshoot--jnst as in New Zealand or South Africa it is open to the Grand Lodges of England , Scotland or Ireland to establish dauerhter Lodges—it is not

surprising there should very speedily rise up in such newly occupied country several Masons' Lodges , bnt owing allegiance to different Grand Lodges . In time , as we have said , this new district becomes a territory , and , later on , it rises to the dignity of a State . Masonry has , in all

probability , made corresponding progress , and the question of erecting an independent Grand Lodge at once appears on the carpet . In the ordinary course , the majority of the Lodges , no matter to whom they may previously have paid allegiance , recognise fully the propriety of combining

together and constituting themselves an independent Grand Lodge . They meet , the severance of each Lodge from its parent Lodgo is effected , and forthwith a new Grand Lodge is added to the roll of independent Masonic sovereignties . Sometimes , however , it happens—as it has

happened with the daughter Lodges of England and Scotland—that a Lodge deliberately prefers remaining under the segis of the body to which it owes its constitution , and it has been the invariable rule with us , in recognising the independence of the * newly born Grand Lodge , to claim

for any Lodges which may prefer such a course the right to remain under our banner . Thus there are the Grand Lodges of Canada and Quebec , but within the jurisdiction of those Grand Bodies are Lodges which have deliberately preferred to remain in their old

allegiance to the Grand Lodge of England or Scotland , as the case may be . It is a recognised law that neither England nor Scotland shall issue warrants for new Lodges within the aforesaid or other similarly circumstanced jurisdictions ; but the Lodges which prefer remaining as they

were retain all their privileges and may accept new members , & c . This is so reasonable a view to take under the circumstances that we cannot refrain from

commending it to the notice of the Grand Lodges of Missouri and New Mexico , who just now seem to be at daggers drawn over a somewhat similar case of this "Jurisdiction Question . "

The Grand Lodge of Indiana did not meet , as under ordinary circumstances it would have done , on the fourth Monday in May this year . Instead of so doing , however , the Grand Treasurer , Grand Secretary , and Trustees of Grand Lodgein accordance with an instruction passed by

, Grand Lodge at its annual Communication in 1880 , submitted their reports to the Grand Master on the 24 th ult . The accounts show a statement of receipts , including a balance brought forward from last year of over 15 , 202 dollars , amounting to a little in excess of 44 , 273 dollar !? ,

while the disbursements were over 41 , 864 dollars , leaving a balance in Grand Treasurer ' s hands of not far short of : 2 , 409 dollars . The report of the Trustees showed that the Grand Lodge debt , " which on 25 th May 1880 stood at 94 , 333 . 34 dollars , had by payments during the

year been reduced to 75 , 000 dollars , ancl the reduction would have been greater still , had all tho Lod ges met the requirements of the law , and paid their annual dues to the Grand Lodge at the time provided by iaw for their payment . But we are sorry to say thero is nearl y four thousand dollars outstanding on dues of 1880 ,

The Jurisdiction Question.

notwithstanding the fact that the Worshipful Masters of the Lodges delinquent , whose duty it is to seo that the dues aro paid , have been requested to havo tho amounts due

from their several Lodges forwarded to the Grand Secretary . We indulge in the hope that tho Masters of the Lodges so delinquent will on receipt of this report promptly attend to this most important matter .

Tho Voice of Masonry considers onr London contemporary is " obtuse , " because it is unable to comprehend what the public installation of officers is . We sympathise

with our contemporary , and must fain plead guilty to the soft impeachment of sharing its obtuseness . There is manifestly a vast difference between Freemasonry as it is understood in some of the States of the American Union

and as it is understood here . Iu the former publicity would seem to he courted on every possible occasion and of every imaginable kind . Here the Fraternity jogs along tho oven tenour of its way as quietly ancl unostentatiously as possible . The ever memorable installation of H . R H .

the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . Master , is a case in point . Though some 8 , 000 to 10 , 000 brethren flocked from all parts of England to the Ro < al Albert Hall , South Kensington , in order to bo present at that magnificent ceremony , the outside world saw absolutely nothing of the

insignia of Masonry . All the crowds that congregated in the vicinity of the building during the hour or two that preceded the arrival of the Prince could do was to surmise that the unusual number of gentlemen , dressed in quiet evening or quasi-evening costume , who were making their

way to the Hall in every conceivable kind of vehicle or on foot , were the members of the Craft . In some of the States of America we occasionally hear of there would probably have been a grand procession , and every member of it would have arrayed himself gorgeously in apron , sash ,

and jewellery . There would have been bands of music and , not improbably , carriages for the conveyance of the Grand Officers . Here a Masonic procession in public is an event of the very rarest occurrence , as may be judged from the fact that the number of occasions since April 1875 on

which G . Lodge has taken part in any public ceremonial—as , for instance , when the Prince of Wales laid the foundation stones of Truro Cathedral—might be reckoned on the fingers of one hand . The English Masonic press may be so quite too awfully obtuse as to know very little about

the public processions of brethren in England , and absolutely nothing about the public installation of the Officers of Masonic Lodges . Nevertheless , it is a point with which

the English Craft and its representative organs have every reason to be satisfied , for the very obvious reason that publicity in respect of any sort or kind of Lodge work is inconsistent with the spirit and genius of Freemasonry .

From a letter , signed "Anti-Cant" in the April number of the Canadian Craftsman , it seems that according to the statistics of the Grand Lodge of Quebec , the net loss of membership during the past year was 109 , the number of initiations , & c , being 212 , against withdrawals , deaths , and suspensions 321 . The present membership is 2400 .

According to the Australian Freemason , the Dist . G . Treasnrer Bro . A . Rofe , of the Dist . G . Lodge of Australia , under the Scottish Constitutions , has given notice that at the next Quarterly Communication he will submit the

following motion , namely , " That no brother below the rank of R . W . Master or Past Master shall be allowed to confer any of the established degrees of Freemasonry upon candidates . "

Bro . Geo . H . West , Secretary of the Masonic Mutual Benefit Society of Indiana , states , in a letter to the Masonic Advocate of Indianopolis , that , including the benefits paid

since last Communication , the Society from the period of its organisation has paid away no less than two millions , ninety-four thousand , two hundred and four dollars , and ninety-nine cents , that is , upwards of £ 418 , 800 .

On the 22 nd instant ancl two following days there is to be a celebration in Louisville , Kentucky , in aid of the funds of the Masonic Widows' and Orphans' Home . This

celebration is to consist of a Templar parade , with competitive drills of Military Companies and Templar Commanderies . Prizes of tho value of 1 , 000 dollars , 500 dollars , and 250 dollars respectively will be offered .