Ars Quatuor Coronatorum.*

Fellowshi p , " and this entailed a ceremony conferring the secrets necessary for him to prove himself abroad a Fellow of the Craft and not a run-away apprentice . Moreover , this ceremony which was mystic ancl a real initiation , imparted , naturall y in a much less ornate manner than now , the ' Masters part / or , in other

words , the essentials of our M . M . Degrees . " In later times these two Degrees , when conferred upon a Speculative , wcre run into one , and as a consequence of this , the second came to be almost forgotten by the Operatives , ancl much confused b y the

Spcculatives , till , in 1717 , they were taken over bodily by Grand Lodge and restored to sense so far as " the limited knowledge of the members would permit . Finally , shortly after 1723 , they were re-apportioned into three degrees . "

We have now completed our task of placing before 0111 readers the principal arguments which Bros . HuGHAN and SPETH have severall y addressed in support of their rival theories concerning this " Question of Degrees , " so that they may be in a

position to judge between them . Later in the year , when tin pressure of a Centenary Festival and other work leaves us sufficient leisure for the purpose , we shall revert to the question and set forth our own views as to the merits of the two theories

United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

The Quarterly Communication of United Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of England was held on Wednesday , in the Temple , Freemasons' Hall , London . Earl Amherst , R . W . Deputy Grand Master , presided ; Rear-Admiral Albert Hastings Markham , R . W . Past District Grand Master of Malta , acted as Deputy Grand Master ; Sir John B . Monckton , P . G . W ., as S . G . Warden ; and Bro . Robert Grey , P . G . W ., as J . G . W . Altogether , more than 1000 brethren attended , and the Temple and gallery were crowded .

Among the brethren present were—Bros . Sir . Reginald Hanson , M . P . ; Alderman Vaughan Morgan , Thomas Fenn P . G . W ., acting as Grand Director of Ceremonies ; John Strachan , Q . C , G Reg . ; R , Loveland Loveland , O . C , President of the Board of G eneral Purposes ; Richard Eve , P . G . T . ; S . Cochrane , P . G . T . ; Col . Clifford Probyn , G . T . ; Dr .

Laurence , J . C . Parkinson , J . A . Farnfield , Charles Hammcrton , R . Clay Sudlow , Henry Neville , Sir J . C . Dimsdale , W . Russell , A . C . Spaull , Maj . Woodall , P . G . T . ; Dr . Clement Godson , E . Letchworth , G . Sec . ; T . Hastings Miller , E . M . Money , VV . Lake , Assistant G . Secretary ; and \ V . J . Mason , Vice-President Board of General Purposes .

After Grand Lodge had been opened in due form , the Scrutineers of the ballot for membership of the Board of General Purposes were called up and obligated to make a true and faithful return of the matters committed to them ; the balloting cards were collected , and the Scrutineers withdrew . The minutes of the March Quarterly Communication and of the Grand Festival of April 27 th were then read by the GRAND SECRETARY , put , and confirmed .

Bro . Earl AMHERST next called upon the Grand Secretary to read the message from the M . W . G . M . concerning the Grand Lodge of Peru , which appeared in the Freemason of last Saturday . Bro . E . LETCHWORTH having read the message and the proposed resolutions ,

Earl AMHERST said : Brethren , you have heard the message of his Royal Highness the Grand Master duly read ; in order that the sense of Grand Lodge may be taken thereon , I , as his Royal Higbness ' s Deputy , have the honour to move the lirst resolution which I will ask the Grand

Registrar to second and explain . Bro . J STRACUAN , Q . C ., Grand Registrar : Most Worshipful Grand Master in the chair , it is very seldom indeed that a Grand Lodge is convened anywhere to consider such a message as his Royal Highness has sent to this Grand Lodge to-day for our consideration , but the circumstances are such , and the facts have bcen brought to the attention of the Most

Worship ful Grand Master in such a way that they cannot , in thc interests of true Masonry , be ignored ; but on being laid before the brethren with the expression of the Grand Master ' s opinion upon them , they will doubtless cause the adoption of the suggested icsolutions which will place this Grand Lodge of England among those Grand Lodges which have emphatically pronounced their condemnation of

the acts and edicts of the Grand Lodge of Peru . As Masons , we know that admission to our Order is free to all , whatever their belief , so long as they believe in the Great Architect— ( general cries of hear , hear)—but there is a further condition which cannot be ignored . ( Hear , hear . ) Our great light is the Volume of the Sacred Law ( Hear , hear . ) No man can be made a Mason except in a lodge , just ,

perfect and regular . The lodge is regular by its warrant of Constitution ; it is perfect by being composed of seven or more members ; and it is just when the volume of thc sacred law is unfolded and with c rtain implements laid thereon —( hear , hear)—and unless those great lights are present no lodge can be held ; that has been stated over and over again and has

been resolved over and over again by this mother of Grand Lodges , and by tlrand Lodges throughout the world representing true Masonry . Any body of men meeting , under whatever names they choose to call themselves , who have not these great lights ara not a body of Masons . ( Hear , hear . ) We are bound—every Past Master here has taken the obligation —he

United Grand Lodge.

promised to respect genuine and true biethren audio discountenance impos ! ors and all dissenters from the original plan of Freemasonry . Therefore if we find any body professing to be a Masonic body which departs from the original plan of Freemasonry we have sworn that we will discountenance those people—I will not call them brethren . We also admit that it is not in the power of any man or body of men to make innovations in the body of

Masonry . We declare in our charges that let a man ' s religion or mode of worship be what it may he is not excluded from the Order , provided he believe in the glorious Architect of Heaven and Earth , and practice the sacred duties of morality . ( Hear , hear . ) We are also told that this Grand Lodge as a Grand Lodge can only legislate having regard to the ancient landmarks of the Order . That being the position of affairs with bodies

professing to be Masonic , in seconding the motion proposed from the chair I have to state the facts we have on the best of evidence ; because I have it from what has been laid before his Royal Highness the Grand Master under the seal of the Grand Lodgeof Peru signed bv its Grand Master and countersigned by its Grand Secretary , and I have also fhe original Spanish documents strictly verified . Therefore , we hive before us the

evidence of what has been done , which if it had been wanting , it would have been our duty to make enquiry of the Grand Lodge of Peru , if such a thing was possible as is charged against them . But we lind it is , and therefore it is that our Grand Master puts it— " It having been made to appear to the satisfaction of M . W . Grand Master that the Grand Lod ge of Peru has decreed " certain things . It would be right probably that the brethren

should know thc grounds on which he has proceeded . I do not want to weary Grand Lodge , giving all the statements which are given in the documents . ( Cries of " No , no . " ) But I may say that the Grand Ollicers have gone through all the documents , and the circumstances of the case I can lay I efore you shortly as follows : About thc year 1882 the Grand Lodge of Peru was formed , and there were in Peru , or one of the towns there , a

number of brethren who had been formed under the Scottish Constitution by the name of the Cosmos Lodge , and they became part of the Grand Lodge of Peru . It is from them , the loyal brethren of that lodge , that we have received information , which has been verified in other qunrters . The Grand Master in iSofi-Idonot know whether he became Grand Master then—of the name oi Christian Djm , brought before Grand Lodge certain

resolutions , which were unanimously adopted by that Grand Lodge , and those resolutions were—without reading the exact words of the resolutions —that the Volume of the Sacred Law , which they called the Bible , be removed from the altars of all lodges , and to substitute for it—a copy of the Constitutions of the Grand Lodge of Peru . The resolution went on to say that everywhere in their ritual for the name of the bible should be substituted " of

the Grand Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Peru . " The brethren of the Cosmos Lodge at once protested against this , and begged that the Grand Lodgeof Peru would reconsider its edict and give it an opportunity of placing before the brethren the true position of Freemasonry . If I were to read to you their earnest appeal it would carry conviction to the mind of every brother , but I feel it is not necessary . Suffice it to say that they have

argued their case well ,- they put it to their Grand Lodge to give them the opportunity of reconsidering thc matter , and the Grand Lodge refused to reconsider it . They have , on the contrary , required all the lodges in their jurisdiction to carry out the edict . The brethren of the Cosmos Lodge took a course which , I venture to say , would commend itself to all true Masons ; I may say the greater number of the members are English—it is

an English-speaking lodge , and the members arc English and Americans . When they found they could not be allowed to carry on their ritual under the conditions we have authorised , they took the step of returning their warrant to the Grand Lodge of Peru , and saying they would have nothing more to do with a body that acted in lhat way . Those brethren are there , they are loyal , they are 20 or /* , <¦ in number , and there are others in

Peru who , with them , are determined to remain loyal to the Constitutions of ancient Freemasonry as it is known to them and to us . It is desirable lhat the executive should have a free hand , and that steps should be taken to secure these brethren the proper exercise ol their Masonic duties . It may become a question by and bye whether we ought to abandon loyal brethren removed 2000 miles from any other lod ge should they desire to visit

other lodges or to practise the mysteries of our Order and to make Masons . We may have to consider whether at some time something may be done for them by this Grand Lodge of England , or the Grand Lodges of Scotland or Ireland , or some other jurisdiction . That being the position of affairs , they have represented the same to the M . W . G . Master who has asked you to express your opinion whether recognition can longer be given to the G . Lodge

of Peru . Many of the G . Lodges of America , the G . Lodge of Victoria , I btlieve , and others have already passed resolutions and their G . Masters have declared against the action of the Grand Lodge of Peru—in some cases in language which I would not like this Grand Lodge to adopt , because no good comes of using hard names . All we can say is this , these Peruvian brethren have ceased to be Masons and cannot be received b y us until they

have returned to their duty to the Great Architect and to Masonry . It is not a question of a Bible being on the altar . It is the volume of the Sacred Law we recognise . Among Christians it is the Old and New Testaments combined ; among Jews it is the Old Testament alone , among Mahommedans it is thc Koran , which they believe to be thc revelation of the will of the Great Architect , but whether it is Christians , lews , Mahommedans , ' or

Hindoos , it is the volume of thc Sacred Law which must be on the Altar . ( Hear , hear . ) 1 do not wish to take up your time unnecessarily , but 1 should have Iked to read one or two expressions used in the representations made by the Lite Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Peru . He is a Peruvian who s ' ands loyally by the view of their duty he and other brethren of the Lodge of Cosmos hold . He sent it to the Grand Lodge of New Yorkoi

, which hc was the representative , with the request that it should be sent to every other Grand Lodge . I read it through yesterday , and if Grand Lodge would like I would read it to you . ( Cries cl "No , no . " ) Most Worshipful Grand Master in the chair , I do not know whether there is any other fact I ought to bring before Grand Lodge , but I second the

i .-. t Resolution . —That this Grand Lodge views with profound regret the step taken by the Grand Lodge ol Peru in ordering the removal of the Volume- ol the Sacred Law from the altar , and in prohibiting all mention of the Bible in thc ceremonies ol lodge :, under its iuri-idiction .

Fail A . Mil . ST asked whether any other brother desired to make a rein . uk upon the resolution . ( Several cries of " Agreed . ' ) Was it the pleasure of the brethren that that resolution should be passed 7 ( Loud cries of " All . " ) The M . W . G . M . iu the Chair then declared the first lesolution to be carried unanimously .