Freemasonry In Canada.

FREEMASONRY IN CANADA .

It is close on 40 years since those dissensions broke out between the Grand Lodge of England and its Province of Canada which culminated in the establishment of a Grand Lodge in that Colony , and its recognition by us as a separate and independent power . No doubt a feeling of soreness must have prey-died . in this country at the separation , the attendant loss of

prestige to our Si-Sid . Lodge , and , above all ; at the revelations to the public that the Masonic body , which justly prides itself on its character for peace and harmony , should have got to loggerheads over matters that , with the exercise of tact and judgment , and some patience and forbearance on both sides , might have been settled at the outset without serious difficulty .

However , the feeling of soreness we refer to has long since passed away . Both Grand Lodges have loyally observed the terms and conditions of the treaty which was entered into between them , nor , as things have turned out , can it be said that either Canada or Kngland has ever had any reason to repent of the change that was then made in the

Masonic relations of the two countries . Canada , notwithstanding its independence , is as loyal as ever in its feelings towards the old mother Grand Lodge , from which she derived most of her original material , while England regards her Canadian Masonic offspring with all that pride and affection which a parent feels for her children when they have gone forth into the

world on their own account , and have battled successfully with the dangers and difficulties which are the common lot of all . There is , indeed , every reason why we should entertain these feelings towards the Grand Lodge of Canada . Though shorn of a material portion of its strength by the secession of the lodges which are now presided over by the Grand Lodgeof Quebec and

with the resultant limitation of its jurisdiction to the Province of Ontario , it is undoubtedly a Masonic power of the first class . It has under its authority some 350 lodges , allowing for those which have dropped from the roll the aggregate subscribing membership of which is about 22 , 000 . That its affairs are well administered is evidenced by its possession of investments

and cash balances amounting to over 881 , 500 (^ 16 , 300 ) , while fhe reports from the several District Deputy Grand Masters throughout the jurisdiction bear conclusive testimony to the existence everywhere of that peace and prosperity which promises well for the future fortunes of the Craft in this province of the Dominion . For this latter information we are indebted to

thc address which Bro . the Hon . J . M . GIBSON , Q . C , delivered at thc annual communication at Ottawa in July last of his Grand Lodge . Like his predecessor in ollice , Bro . J . Ross ROHURTSO . V , under similar circumtances , Bro . GIBSON * appears to have found himself under the necessity of traversing a good deal of ground , but his remarks , though of necessity for

the most pm of local interest , are well worth reading . Some of them , indeed , maybe taken as generally applicable , as in the case of those concerning the election of fit a-id proper brethren to the positions of Master and Secretary . These officers , as Bro . GIBSON very justly points out , "between them , to , 1 very great extent , control the success of the lodge , "

and hence he lays it down , without any sort or kind of <] ualification , that " no promotion to either position should be allowed where reasonable doubt exists as to the successful performance of duty by those promoted . Many a lodge , " lie adds , " has suffered severely by trying experiments in the matter of Worshipful Masters , or by the mistaken generosity of its members

towards Wardens whose popularity , or , it may be , regularity of attendance or length of service , seem to designate them as natural recipients of the reward of higher rank , but who in reality have not the qualifications of lodge rulers . If there are to bc fewer lodges languishing in a dormant or sickly condition there must be more attention paid to the considerations to which

I have referred . " Here in England , with the exception of the Treasurer and the Tyler , the Worshipful Master is the only officer elected by the lodge , all the officers being appointed by him ; but Bro . GIBSON ' S Warnings are as timely in our case and as well worthy of being taken to heart by English brethren as by those to

whom they were immediately addressed . We are not entirel y without experience of lodges , which have suffered severely by electing men to the chair of Master " who , in reality , have not the qualifications of lodge fillers . " Our system of rotation , by which brethren are advanced from one ollice to another by successive occupants of the chair , undoubtedly has its

advantages . But it may be—in many cises indeed it has been—followed too stringently and it is quite on thc cards that sundry among the lodges which have long since been defunct mig ht have remained on the roll , had

greater care been taken in tht election of its Masters . Again , though his remarks on " Proxy Representation " do not directly affect us , we fully a grce with Bro . GIBSON that "it is not a seemly thing that any brother sl K > uId come to Grand Lodge armed with , or controlling" votes , " which

Freemasonry In Canada.

will ensure his election , " let us say , as a member of our Board of Benevolence , Board of General Purposes , or Colonial Board . Touting for support by some of those who are nominated to serve on these Boards is not entirely unknown

to us and not only do we regard the practice , where adopted , as the reverse of a " seemly thing , " but we should gladly see strong measures adopted by which any candidate who was known to have canvassed for support should be , ipso facto , disqualified from election .

These are the points in Bro . GIBSON S address which may be considered to possess a general interest , that is , among members of all jurisdictions , and there are a few others , to which , if space permitted , we should gladly call the attention of our readers . However , the address will be found .

almost in extenso in the " Canadian Craftsman " for the month of August , and those who may desire a fuller acquaintance of the particulars recorded and the comments made by the Grand Master of Canada—who by the way has been re-elected and is therefore still in office—we take the liberty of referring to the pages of our respected contemporarj ' .

Provincial Grand Lodge Of West Yorkshire.

PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE OF WEST YORKSHIRE .

In our last issue we published some particulars of the important meeting which took place on Wednesday , the 27 th ult ., at Leeds . The short time at our disposal before the hour of publication permitted of a brief summary only , and we think it right , therefore , in view of the character and importance of the event to supplement it by a fuller record , which the interval now enables us to present to our readers .

The largest gathering of Freemasons which West Yorkshire has ever seen took place at the Albert Hall , Leeds , on Wednesday , the 27 th ult , As all the Masonic world has known , the enthusiastic and excellent head of the Craft in that province , Bro . Thomas William Tew , has been obliged , through ill-health , to resign his sceptre . The selection of his successor has at last been made , and when it became known that the M . W . G . Master had chosen the Right Hon . \ V . L . Jackson , M . P ., to carry on the work in

West Yorkshire , hitherto so admirably done by Bro . lew , it was felt that the appointment was a good one . The meeting of the 27 th ult . showed beyond question that it was a popular one , and Bro . Jackson may be complimented upon the exceptionally favourable circumstances under which he has taken ollice . The loyalty , the enthusiasm , and thc excellent organisation of West Yorkshire Freemasons are widely known , and these qualities were admirably illustrated on this occasion .

Being a Leeds man and a member of Fidelity Lodge in that city , it was not surprising that the Freemasons of Leeds should come in large numbers to support their fellow citizen . But strong as that contingent was , it bore but a small proportion to the great mass of brethren who from all parts of the province assembled to pay their respects to their newProvincial Grand Master , and to join in offering a thoroughly Yorkshire welcome to the Pro Grand Master , Lord Lathom , and thc many illustrious visitors ,

officers of Grand Lodge , and others who honoured them by accepting their invitation to be present . Of the 75 lodges composing the province , every one was represented . The number of Present and Past Provincial Officers was exceptionally large , and the list of visitors from all quarters a long one . lt was calculated that there could not have been less than 1200 brethren present , the hall , from floor to gallery , being packed . The scene was a very brilliant one , and will long be remembered by those who were privileged to take part in it .

Being the usual half-yearly meeting of the province , the Deputy Pro \ G . M ., Bro . Henry Smith , in the lirst instance presided .

Thc brethren having successively received Provincial Grand Lodge and the officers of Grand Lodge with thc Pro Grand Master at their head , Provincial Grand Lodge was opened . We cannot possibly lind room for thc names of all the many illustrious Masons that were present , but may mention , amongst others , the following :

Bros . Henry Smith , P . G . D . England , D . P . G . M ., acting Prov . G . M . ; W . F , Smithson , P . G . D . England , acting D . P . G . M . ; Richard Wilson , P . M . 28 9 , Prov , S . G . W . ; Thos . Crossley , P . M . 1211 , as Prov . J . G . W . ; also the following Past and Present Provincial Grand Officers , viz .: Bros . Richard Carter , J . P ., Ensor Drury , ] -R . Armitage , j . P ., B . Broughton , Simeon Hayes , E . Simpson , J . P . T . W . Embleton , Edwin Woodhouse , J . P ., Col . Bingham , R . Arnison , C .

, W . Keighley , J . P ., W . Harrop , and T . B . Fox , J . P ., P . G . Ws . ; Revs . J . Dunbar , T . E . Egerton , Canon Bullock , G . C , J . J . Needham , J . H . Evans , and B . Mayon , P . G . Chaplains ; W . F . Tasker , C . L . Mason , Thos . Ruddock , Henry Oxley , Wm . Pepper , and John Gibbs , P . G . Treasurers ; W . ] . Waugh , Capt . Bottomley , John Cooper Malcolm , J . G . Hutchinson , A . W . Stanfield , J . P ., D . Allison Shaw , l and Wilson

Joseph Binney , J . E . Craven , A . Macauay , C . M . , P . G . Registrars ; H . G . E . Green , Prov . G . Sec . ; John Foster , W . A . Statter , A . Macredie , Henry Cowbrough , Crosland Hirst , \ V . B . Wall , Mark Newsome , J . P ., D . R . Glover , J . Dunning Kay , Wm . Gaukrogcr , J . P ., VV . C . Lupton , C . C . Rhodes , R . V . Allison , J . R . Dore , F . Cleeves , W . R . Massie , W . H . Jessop , and F . Rand , P . G . Deacons ; J . C . Hope , C . Gott , John Barker , Thos . Winn , Jas . Lawton , Wm ,