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draw his amendment , and would rely on Bro . Bennoch ' s . After a few words from Bro . F . Roxburgh ,

Q . C ., in favour of the declaration that Pure and and Ancient Masonry consists of three degrees and no more ,

A Provincial Brother stated , that Masons in the country , when any question arose in their lodges , were in the habit of inquiring what was done in similar cases in Grand Lodge . If Grand

Lodge passed this Report it was equivalent to a resolution that no brother , who happened to be a member of an extraneous Order , should hold office under Grand Lodge . This would impose a great

difficulty in many cases , because before giving office , it would be necessary to inquire whether a man was a member of the prohibited degrees .

All that Provincial Lodges required , was to know whether a man was a good Mason , and . did his duty ; and when they knew that , they knew of nothing which was a disqualification .

Bro . J ohn Havers thought they had got into a great difficulty , they had either to accept or reject the terminal portion of the Report , whic was a most unfortunate one , yet it contained in

it the elements of a great truth . Bro . Gregory had said that we could go beyond the ancient degrees of Masonry . Now he ( Bro . Havers ) denied it We were proud of our old degrees and , more , we meant to maintain them . But at the same

time , while we maintained our ancient degrees , to which we had solemnly sworn fidelity , we would give the l ' reestliberty toothers . He did not agree in

the Report of the Board of General Purposes ; he thought it a mistake ; but at the same time he should defend the Board . It had been said that

they denounced other degrees . They had not They had said that in their opinion it was very undesirable that any subordinate officer in the employment of Grand Lodge should take a

prominent part in any degree or oreler not recognised b y Grand Lodge . And so it was . Ask all the London merchants , bankers , men of business ; ask the Colonel of a regiment , if a

sergeant observant , after having done his duty for the da ; -, employs his leisure evenings in drilling some one else , whether he would allow it . ( Cries of Yes , yes ) . But an Assistant at Grand Lodge ,

though he may belong to any orderhe ' pAeases , should not go and hold a prominent place in that order . A brother had stated that in the provinces they were guieled by the action of the Grand Lodge , and no

doubt if they found that papers , connected with unrecognised degrees , went out from Grand Secretary ' s cilice , ( general expressions of dissent ) they would naturally look upon those

degrees as not being unrecognised . Biij while we were all faithful to our solemn obligations , let us be generous to all those who choose

to amuse themselves with other degrees . Let the proposition now made to Grand Lodge be the last of its kind . Let those who had read

the History of Masonry remember the 50 , 60 , or 70 years of turmoil which prevailed before two Royal Dukes got a Lodge of Rcconcilation . Brethren were to ask themselves whether the

number of elegrees existed at the time of the Union or did not . If they did exist , they were solemnly and intentionally left out . If they had been concocted since , they were of spurious origin . Somebody had said a large proportion

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of these orders were given under spurious organisations . What had those spurious organisations brought us to ? There were not less than six or seven , each claiming to be itself supreme , and let him remind the . brethren that in

srivina ; allegiance to these smaller bodies we forgot to mention the allegiance due to the larger . These organisations , it should be borne in mind , offered no allegiance to our Grand

Master and he entreated the brethren to maintain their own three degrees . He would moreover earnestly entreat them to consider , that if it were just to require subordinate servants to

abstain from taking part in degrees which clashed with Masonry , it was just to require the superior officers . He would say , paid or unpaid , high or low , they should not take a prominent part in

the unrecognised degrees , and though not agreeing with the Report , he recommended its adoption . If it were not adopted , it would be an insult to the Board . With resrard to Bro .

Gabon ' s remark , that many members of Grand Lodge were members of the higher degrees , he would say , in Heaven ' s name let them be . Every Mason had a rig ht to join anything he

liked ; only he must not use the name , and the honour , and the position of Grand Lodge , in such a way as would confound it with them . Bro . Radch '/ le thought it would be illiberal to

prevent any officer from joining other societies , after they had done their work . There was only one point in Bro . Havers ' s address that deserved the attention of Grand Lodge , which was that

people in the country mig ht consider that if offi cers of Grand Lodge sent out papers in the un recognised degrees , those degrees had the appro bation of Grand Lodge . He supported Bro . Gre

gory ' s amendment . The Earl of Limerick took exception to the idea that there were competing jurisdictions in this country . They were independent .

Freemasons were subject to the Grand Master 111 Grand Lodge ; and if they were elsewhere , they were subject to whomsoever mig ht be their President . He himself belonged to other societies ,

but he did not less attend to the interests of the Craft , of which he was most proud to be a member , and which was the orig inal source and fount from which all the brethren seeking other

degrees must spring . He did not think himself a less worthy member of the Craft for belonging to other degrees . He objected to the Report , and would support Bro . Bennoch ' s amendment .

Bro . Stebbing , in a powerful speech , also opposed the report . Bros . Horace Lloyd and F . A . l'hilhrick

supported the Board , and after a few words from Bros . Rev . R . J . Simpson , Lord Tenterden , and James Mason ,

The Grand Master said : —Before this question is put to tiie vote , I am desirous of addressing one or two observations to Grand Lodge . It appears that the question which is raised by the

paragraph of this Report , which it is proposed not to receive , is one which is entirely within the province and authority of this Grand Lodge themselves to deal , and I do not , therefore desire that

any observations which I may make , and they will be very brief , should tend in any way to influence the vote to which Grand Lodge may come , or the view which may lie taken , in < he

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exercise of their judgment , on this question ; because the question that is raised really by this paragraph is what , in the opinion of this Grand Lodge , ought to be laid down as regulations for

guidance and conduct of certain persons who hold salaried offices under the Grand Lodge . Now , brethren , this question is not new ; it has been now for some months before the Craft and

this Grand Loelge ; and as far back as the month of February Iast . the question having been then brought under the notice of Grand Lod ge , and consequently under my own notice , I thought itright to express

an opinion upon the subject , and to require that those who hold office in the Secretarial offices of this Lodge should conform to the views which were

so expressed . Those views were embodied in a minute , which I am now about to read . Tha minute was to the following effect . "The

Grand Master has directed that no meeting connected with unrecognised elegrees be permitted to take place on the premises restricted to the use of the Craft , and that no business relating to

such degrees be transacted by any gentleman employed in the Grand Secretary ' s office during office hours . " That minute lam prepared strictly

and fully to enforce and it would unquestionably be my duty to do so . The question before Grand Lodge now considered freely w ith regard to those of our servants—I use the term with all

respect—in our employ , is whether it is thought desirable or not desirable to impose jfurther restrictions upon those servants than are contained in this minute , which has been strictly and entirely

adhered to since the day it was issued . The question , brethren , is this " That the Grand Lodge do not receive the following words contained in the Report . ' The Board , however , are clearly of

opinion , and submit to Grand Lodge , that no clerk or other subordinate of officer in the employment of Grand Lodge should take a prominent part in any degree or Order not recognised by Grand Lodge . '"

Let Grand Loelge clearly understand . The original question was , " That this Report be received and entered upon the Minutes , " since which the amendment or resolution has been

moved , which I have read , the effect of which is to decline to receive the last sentence of that Report— " The Board , however , are clearly of opinion , and submit to Grand Lodge , that no clerk

or other subordinate officer in the employment of Grand Lodge , should take a prominent part in any degree or Order not recognised by Grand Lodge . "

On a show of hands , the Grand Master declared the amendment lost , the numbers however appearing to be nearly equal . The motion for receiving and entering the Report on the Minutes was then carried .

The Grand Master then announced that Bro , LI . Evans , the President of the Board , had requested him to relieve him of his office , which he accordingly did , and appointed and invested

Bro . Horace Lloyd , Q . C ., P . G . D ., in his place . The Scrutineers having returned , the result of the election was announced . The Annual Report of the " Royal Masonic

Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and the Widows of Freemasons , " was laid before Grand Lodge , and the following alterations of the Laws , which were agreed to at the Annual General Meetinsr of the Institution held on Fri-