The Doctrine Of Exclusive Jurisdiction.

yourselves . But we demur emphatically to the claims thus set up in favour of this law of Exclusive Jurisdiction . We say that in the form which it is now sought to give it , no such general law has ever existed in Freemasonry . It may or may not be accepted

as such among the Grand Lodges of thc United States , but it does not follow that , if or "because it is so accepted , all the other Grand Lodges in the world must accept it likewise , and so elevate it to the dignity of a universal law of Masonry . Bro

CRAWLEY has shown that the law of territorial jurisdiction was enacted in the first instance by the Grand Lodges of England ancl Ireland , while the interpretation placed upon the law by the bodies which enacted it has bcen consistently thc same as shown

by Bro . SPETH in the case of the Grand Lodge of the Netherlands in 1770 , and by the course adopted by England and Ireland when recognising the Grand Lodge of Canada ancl Grand Lodges of later creation . As Bro . CRAWLEY very pertinently

remarks : " It seems impossible to resist the conclusion that when the . Law is to be interpreted , the limitations laid down by the authorities that enacted it must be accepted as part of the Law . '"' This , however , is just what the supporters of this law of Exclusive

Jurisdiction decline to do . They take the law , put their own interpretation upon it—ignoring all other interpretations—and christening it a Landmark call upon all other Grand Lodges to accept or reject it at their peril . This , or something very much

to the same effect , is what we have said in former articles on the subject , and this is what it will be our duty to repeat in any further discussion that may arise . There is , however , just one remark which it may be convenient to add . No ageement will

ever be possible between the advocates and opponents of this supposed law of Exclusive Jurisdiction until the former are prepared to allow that a Masonic doctrine which is taught almost

exclusively in America is not on precisely the same level as a doctrine that is accepted universally by the whole body of Masons . When this point has been conceded , the greatest difficulty in the way of an exact definition of the law will have been overcome .

The District Of Natal.

THE DISTRICT OF NATAL .

A change has recently taken place in the government of the District Grand Lodge of Natal . Bro . R . I . FtNNEMORE , who was appointed to his ollice in December , . 1882 , when the lodges then located in the Colony were constituted a District Grand

Lodge , has recently tendered his resignation , and his Royal Highness thc M . W . Grand Master has bcen pleased to select Bro . WESLEY FRANCIS , Past G . S . B . England , who has filled the office of Deputy District Grand Master for many years , as his successor . There can be no doubt lhat the late District Grand

Master will carry with him into his retirement the respect and esteem of the brethren in the Colony . Freemasonry has prospered during thc 13 years of his administration . When hc was installed , the lodges numbered some eight or ten , but in thc years that

have since elapsed , some seven or eight additional lodges have been consecrated , and the District Grand Lodge now has upon its roll no less than 17 , all , or at all events the majority , of which , so far as the advices wc receive from time to time from correspondents

in the Colony show , are in a very flourishing condition . Moreover , there are local Masonic Charities , which are sufficiently well supported and administered to bc in a position to meet thc claims which every now and then are made on their resources .

It is clear then , so far as the late District Grand Master is concerned , lhat thc important duties pertaining to that office have been both ably and conscientiously discharged , that Bro-FINNEMORE richly deserves that respect and esteem which , as

we have before said , there is little doubt hc will carry with him into his retirement , and that should the occasion arise ; , hc will give his successor in office the benefit of his large and varied experience . As regards the new District Grand Master , Bro . WESLEY

FRANCIS , whose installation was reported iu our columns last week , there is equally little doubt that he will maintain the rights and privileges of the brethren with the same- firmness and ability as was exhibited by his predecessor . In the lirst place ,

he is well known throughout thc District , and as Deputy must have acquired a thorough knowledge of the duties which now devolve upon him . Moreover , if we may judge from the very admirable address he delivered after he had been installed and

The District Of Natal.

appointed his officers , the future that lies before him and the lodges under his charge promises well . Not only did he recognise the responsibilities which his office entailed upon him , but he took the opportunity of addressing himself directly to the

Worshipful Masters of lodges , and endeavouring to impress upon them that they , too , had duties and responsibilities pertaining to their office , and that , according as they fulfilled or neglected those duties and responsibilities , so would it fare well or ill with the

lodges over which they had been elected to preside . He very wisely cautioned them against attaching too much importance to mere numerical strength and monetary position . These , he said , were no doubt important in themselves , but it was far more

important still that the quality of those applying for membershi p should be of such a character aswould ultimatelyreflect credit upon our Order . It might very well happen that a lodge was neither numerically strong nor particularly well off , but he considered

that greater honour was due to the Master of such a lodge if he maintained the members " in true Masonic affection and Charity than was due to the Master of a lodge in which the principles

of brotherly unity and benevolence were less conspicuous than a long muster roll of members and a heavy bank account . " We trust that Masters and members likewise will take heed of

this advice , and that in considering the applications of candidates for admission into their lodges , either as joining members or initiates , they will look more to the character and antecedents of applicants than to their wealth or the influence they

may happen to possess . His suggestions as to lodges combining together for the purpose of forming a central fund for the purposes of . benevolence and Charity seem also well worthy of attention . We are constantly receiving evidence of the harm

that is done by giving help indiscriminately , and if a scheme can be formulated under the new District Grand Master by which those only will be relieved who are really worthy of relief , the District of Natal will not be seriously troubled by that greatest

of all pests—the " Masonic Vagrant . " But whatever steps may ultimately be taken in respect of this and other matters , there is no doubt from the proceedings which took place at Bro

FRANCIS ' S installation , that a good man has been found to preside over the District of Natal , and if the lodges govern themselves as hc wishes , the future of the Craft will be a prosperous one .

The Masters And Wardens' Association Victoria.

THE MASTERS AND WARDENS' ASSOCIATION VICTORIA .

We noted incidentally in our Reviews of last week that a full report of the annual meeting , on the 15 th August last , of the Masters' and Wardens' Association of Victoria would bc found in the Australasian Keystone for September . From that report it is evident , in the first place , that the Association , though

it has only been in existence for the brief space of one year , has made very rapid and satisfactory progress , ancl in the ncxt , that it is in a fair way of becoming a medium for conferring very appreciable benefits upon thc Masonic community in Victoria As regards thc progress it has made , the retiring President , in

thc address he delivered on vacating his office , mentioned that on their first regular night of meeting the members were 30 in number ; at the commencement of the second year of their existence , including those who had been elected that evening , tin number was 130 . Moreover , he pointed out that the initial

expenses , though they had of necessity been very heavy , had been kept within their revenue from subscriptions . As regards the objects which our Victorian brethren had in view in establishing the Association , they would seem to have been manifold in character . Among the work accomplished during the past vear ,

the retiring President enumerated the reading and discussion ot four papers , the subjects selected by the respective authors being ( l ) " Suggestions with a View to the Improvement of our Lodge Meetings ; ( 2 ) "What arc thc Obligations of a Lodge to its

Members ? " ( 3 ) "First Impressions and Lodge Funds and ho" ' to Conserve them ; " and ( 4 ) "Improvement of the Master ' s Work in Lodges . " Of the last of these papers thc President

spoke in terms of the highest commendation , going so far as to affirm that its author—Bro . Past Master FOOKES—had " really shaped the first practical work of the Association , in initiating and concerting measures for the benefit of tlie Craft '"