The Grand Lodges Of England And Quebec.

THE GRAND LODGES OF ENGLAND AND QUEBEC .

WE see from the fnll report of the customary address delivered hy Bro . J . H . Graham , Most Worshipfnl Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Quehec , that the question which most exercised his attention was that of the relations existing—or , from his point of view , which should exist—between the Grand Lodges of England and

Quebec . In England the question of jurisdiction , which so seriously disturbs the minds of our North American brethren , is hardly ever vouchsafed even a passing thought . Its general principles are , of course , understood and valued , but the nicer distinctions of the law are , we fear ,

but indifferently appreciated . We know , for instance , speaking broadly and generally , that the United Grand Lodge of England , for example , would never dream of granting a warrant to brethren for the purpose of constituting a Lodge in Ireland , Scotland , Germany , the

United States , or , indeed , in any country whicb can boast of having a Sovereign and independent Grand Lodge of its own to protect and promote the interests of its Craftsmen . Neither would the Grand Lodge of Ireland or Scotland venture to arrogate to itself the title to grant any

such warrant . This policy they wonld pursue on the clear and intelligible principle that one Masonic jurisdiction has no right to trench on the territory of another Masonic jurisdiction , any more than one political State has'ihe right to trench npon the territory of another political State . And ,

further , as they respect in every possible way the integrity and independence of other Grand Lodges , so naturally do they look for the same respect being paid to their integrity and independence . All this is plain sailing , but they become lost in amazement when they read the

correspondence or addresses respecting jurisdiction which are laid before some of the North American Lodges . No one here , for instance , seems to know how the late difference between the Grand Lodges of Scotland and Quebec arose , or wherein lay the vital point at issue between them . There

was , however , a difference , and it was connected with the Lodges in Montreal , lately holding warrants from the Grand Lodge of Scotland ; but why it should be deemed a blot on the fair escutcheon of the Grand Lodge of Quebec because certain Lodges had and still preferred to remain

attached to their mother Grand Lodge seems to us inexplicable . The Grand Lodges of England , Scotland , and Ireland exercise co-ordinate jurisdiction in , with a few exceptions , the colonies and dependencies of the British Crown . The exceptions are to be found in British North

America , where there have been afc different times established certain Grand Lodges , which claim to be and are recognised as independent Bodies , in whose several jurisdictions it would be contrary to both law and equity to even entertain the idea of erecting new English , Scotch

or Irish Lodges . But it has not always happened that the establishment of a new Grand Lodge in British territory has been the result of complete unanimity on the part of all the Lod ges belonging to the three concurrent jurisdictions , some of them having manifested a decided preference for continuing in the circumstances in which thoy had alwavs

The Grand Lodges Of England And Quebec.

been placed . This was the case when some quarter of a century since the Grand Lodge of Canada was established , and certain Lodges holding Warrants from England , Scotland , and Ireland , preferred remaining

subordinate to their respective Mother Grand Lodges to joining the new Confederation of Lodges . In exercising this preference they were acting in strict accordance with their undoubted rights , just in the same manner and to the same extent as thoso which elected

to join , where they did not take part in establisbing , tho new Grand Lodge . And when in due time the sovereign independences of the new Grand Body came to be recognised , by the Mother Grand Lodges , it was expressly stipuleted—at least in the case of the Grand Lodge of England

—in the articles of recognition that such as were so disposed should be at liberty to retain their original allegiance . We do nofc see how any other course could have been adopted with any show of reason . Ifc would have been an act of grave injustice had the Grand bodge of

England said to certain Lodges , " I consent to your leaving my jurisdiction , and setting up a Grand Lodge of your own , " and on the other hand to have refused to certain other Lodges permission to retain their allegiance . Full liberty of action in cases of this kind includes liberty to

remain , as well as liberty to go , and the Grand Lodge of Canada recognised the justice of this view when it accepted recognition on tbe conditions stipulated . When , many years later , the Lodges in the Province of Quebec , which now constitute the Grand Lodge of Quebec , set np a Grand

home of their own , and sought recognition as an independent body from , among others , the Grand Lodges of England and Scotland , the former very naturally repeated its stipulation , that so long as certain Lodges belonging to its jurisdiction desired , they should have full liberty to

continue their allegiance , and conditionally on the acceptance of such stipulation , ifc was prepared to recognise the independence of the Grand Lodge of Quebec . The latter body , however , was both nncourteous and less jnsfc than the Grand Lodge of Canada , from which itself had

seceded . It rejected the proffered recognition on the terms indicated , and things have remained in tbis state till the present year , when , to judge from the correspondence referred to by Grand Master Graham , in tbe Annual Address under notice , there would seem to be a prospect ,

near rather than remote , that the relations between England and Quebec will enter upon a new and less agreeable phase . Before proceeding further , let us note , in brief , the course of recent events as between tbe Grand Lodges of

Scotland and Quebec . The former—doubtless unintentionally—appears to have attached to its recognition of the latter ' s independence no stipulation whatever on behalf of any of its daughter Lodges that might elect to remain

under its banner . When , therefore , the Grand Lodge of Quebec resolved to enlist in its fold the three Scottish Lodges at Montreal , it had , we will admit , some appearance of reason in its favour . We think it would have been

more dignified , as well as more generous , had it left these Lodges to pursue the even tenour of their way . In the efflux of time their union with the Grand Lodge of Quebec would doubtless have been accomplished . Instead , how-

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