Supreme Grand Chapter.

SUPREME GRAND CHAPTER .

The Quarterly Convocation of Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England was held on Wednesday evening , at Freemasons' Hall . Dr . Hamilton , Grand Superintendent of Jamaica , acted as M . E . Z ., Comp ., [ . M . P Montagu as H ., and Comp . S . Rawson as J . ; Comps . lotvn Hervey , S . E ., Capt . N . G . Phillips , S . N . ; J . A .

Ruckcr , P . S . ; James Glaisher , ist A . S . ; Dr . W . Rhys Williams , 2 nd A . S . ; A . J . D . Filer , S . B . ; Robinson , D . C . Lieut .-Gen . Brownrigg , Prov . G . Supt . Surrey ; Henry Murray ( China ) ; C . Hutton Gregory , J . C . Parkinson E S . Snell , H . J . P . Dumas , Joseph Smith , JE . J . Mclntyre , Q . C , Registrar ; H . D . Sandeman , Benjamin Head , Robt . Grey , Thos . Fenn , C . A . Murton , F . J . Barron ,

f . M . Case , H . G . Buss , C . A . Cottebrune , Col Creaton , Jonathan Taylor , Z . 933 ; P . Z . 177 ; Peter Wagner , H . 183 ; Charles Godtschalk , P . Z . 1235 and 15 6 ; F . Driver , Z . 742 ; S . B . Boucher , J . 262 ; T . S . Carter , Z . 403 ; Hyde Clarke , P . Z . 10 ; Col . H . S . Somerville Burney , P . Z . 1383 and 584 ; Charles F . Hogard , J . 141 ; H . Sutherland , Z . 1118 ; Walter E .

Gompcrtz , J . 141 ; Robt . Lyons Campbell , Z . 43 ; E . Letchworth , Z . 1237 ; H . Read , P . Z . 733 ; J . McDougall , H . 913 ; Grorge Lambert , P . Z . 187 ; Walter Hopekirk , P . Z . 742 ; Major Shadwell Cleike , P . Z . and J . 1383 ; E . J . B . Burnsteael , Z . 79 ; Raphael Costa , P . Z . 214 ; Thomas Cochrane , Z . 10 ; Frank Richardson , P . Z . 8 ; James Lewis Thomas , P . Z . n ; A . A . Pendlebury , P . Z . 1066 ; H . Massey , P . Z .

619 ( Freemason ); W . Hyde Pullen , V . Adlard , P . Z . 214 ; H . C . Levander , P . Z . 76 ; J . Mason , H . 73 ; C . Burmeister , Z . 338 ; Dr . F . H . Wilson lies , P . Z . 404 ; and Thos . Bull , Z . 143 . The minutes of the last Quarterly Convocation having been read and confirmed , the following report of the Committee of General Purposes was taken as read , and ordered to be received and entered on the minutes .

The Committee of General Purposes beg to report that they have examined the accounts from the 18 th July to the 16 th October , 18 77 , both inclusive , which they find to be as follows : To Balance Grand Chapter £ 295 18 10 „ ,, Unappropriated Account ... 181 n 11 „ Subsequent Receipts ... ... ... 307 3 o

A 784 13 9 By Purchase of £ 300 Consols @ 94 J and Commission ... ., ^ 283 17 6 „ Disbursements during the quarter ... 183 o 4 „ Balance 116 19 o „ „ in Unappropriated Account ... 198 16 11

£ 784 1 . 1 9 which balances are in the hands of Messrs . Willis , Percival , and Co ., Bankers of the Grand Treasurer . The Committee have likewise to report that they have received the following Petitions ;—1 st . From Comps . Hugh George Colvill , its Z . ; Thomas Hawken , as H . ; John Richard Collins , as J .

and nine others for a chapter to be attached to the One and All Lodge , No . 330 , Bodmin , to be called " The Saint Petiock Chapter , " and to meet at the Masonic Hall , Bodmin , in the county of Cornwall . 2 nd . From Comps . John Chambers , as Z . ; William Nash , as H . ; Richard M . Blaker , as J ., and six others for a chapter to be attached to the Lodge Light of the North ,

No . 1308 , Dalhousie , to be called " The Egerton Chapter , " and to meet at Dalhousie , Pubjab , in the East Indies . 3 rd . From Comps . Major William Edward Williams , as Z . ; Henry Keeble , as H . ; Thomas Perridge , as J ., ar . tl six others for a chapter to be attached to the Star Lodge , No . 1275 , Greenwich , to be called " The Star Chapter , "

and to meet at the Ship Hotel , Greenwich , in the county of Kent . The foregoing petitions being in all respects regular , the Committee recommend that the prayers thereof be respectively granted . The Committee have also received the following petition . —

4 th . From Comps . Lieut .-Colonel Hugh Sawyer Somerville Burney , as Z . ; Frank Richardson , as H . ; Richard Philip Leeson , as J ., and twelve others for a chapter to be attached to the Bayard Lodge , No . 1613 , London , to be called " The Bayard Chapter , " and to meet at No . 33 , Golden Square , London .

This petition is regular in form . It is however contrary to the usual custom of the Grand Chapter Committee to recommend an application for a chapter from so young a lodge , but under the peculiar circumstances of the case the subject is referred to the Grand Chapter for its consideration .

The Committee , have also to report that they have received a memorial from the Wandereis Lodge , No . 1604 , praying that the petition for a chapter to be attached to that lodge , which was negatived at the last Grand Chapter , might be again submitted to the Grand Chapter , and that the Committee would recommend Grand Chapter to reconsider its decision .

Phe Committee taking into consideration the peculiar and special circumstances of the case ; recommend that Grand Chapter be asked to reconsider its former decision in this case . On motion duly made and seconded the first three petition were unanimously granted . The

recommendation with respect to the Bayard Chap ter was then com-idercd . m iV ^ ' ^ " ^> sa ''' 'hat on many occasions when he had the honour of filling the Z . chair it had become bis duty to propose the granting of a charter for a chapter under urcumstanccs like the present . In some cases he had

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found there wetc reasons for granting the charter , in others there were not ; and he would now therefore ask Grand Chapter to adopt the recommendation of the committee , and consider the circumstances of this case . Comp . C . Hutton Gregory said be begged to recommend warmly to the favourable reception of Grand Chapter the petition which had first been referred to . He had no

connection with the petition either directly or indirectly , but he knew the source from which it came , and the elements of which the intended chapter was to be composed . He was quite aware that it was a very wholesome rule that chapters should not be authorised unless the lodges with which they were connected had been established for three years . The reason of that was that they did not

wish to have a chapter established if there was not a chance ol its succeeding , and unless a lodge was established three years Grand Chapter should be very chary about granting a charter . Many young Masons might be ambitious to enter a chapter as soon as they possibly could , but in the case of the Bayard Chapter the companions should consider whether there were circumstances that

would induce them , although the prayer had not been actually recommended by the Committee , to grant the petition . The Bayard Lodge was the outgrowth of another lodge which had been very successful , devoting itself more to Masonry than to Masonic entertainment , though in saying this he did not mean to reflect on those that thought that there shoukl be

some conviviality about Masonry . The Bayard Lodge was really a chapel of ease to the Friends in Council Lodge , which had produced the Friends in Council Chapter , which in its turn numbered almost as many members as the lodge itself . The Bayard Lodge had met with such success that it numbered seventy or eighty members , and during the first year of its existence it had made itself a

Vice-President of the three Masonic Charities . When a lodge was so well established , and so many of its members were craving to become Royal Arch Masons , they might be sure there was no objection to the prayer of this petition being granted . A reason for the rule laid down by Grand Chapter was that there should be a sufficient number of advanced Masons in the lodge who could go

up to the chair . Now in the Bayard Lodge there were a number of P . Z ' s . to insure having the three chairs filled for eight years ; and among the petitioners there were three or four Past Principals . Under all these circumstances he thought Grar . d Chapter would be desirous to encourage this Order , and he thought that if Grand Lodge granted this charter it would be conducing to the good

of the Order . He looked upon this as so much a question of principle that he had not first attempted to get a seconder of his motion . Comp . S . Rawson , as the first Principal of the Friends in Council Chapter of the-present year , could bear witness to what Comp . Gregory had saiJ . That chapter was becoming so numerous that it was desirable that another

chapter should be formed for the convenience of the companions . The proposed chapter might be said to be an offshoot of the Friends in Council Chapter , and he had much pleasure in seconding Comp . Gregory ' s motion . Comp . Joseph Smith referred to the proceedings at last Grand Chapter , when the petition for the Wanderers Chapter was before the companions , and it was resolved by a

very large majority that Grand Chapter should not break throjgh its rule of five or six years ago . Up to this time Grand Chapter had adhered faithfully to that rule . Now , if the petition before Grand Chapter was granted , Grand Chapter could not refuse in future similar petitions , and he , for one , should make no opposition at other times to them . Companions must bear in mind that plenty of new lodges

were coming into existence , which would want chapters attached to them , and so far as the number of their members went it was very natural they should ask for chapters . New officers were very anxious to bring all their friends into a lodge in the first year , and to his mind the members in a lodge , in the first year , were no criterion of the prosperity of a lodge . After a year and a half's existence a new

lodge would be numerous , and this would be a ground for asking for a chapter . Surely it would be better for Grand Chapter to confine itself to its rule , for he was sure tnat if many charters were granted some of the chapters working under those charters would suffer . Arch Masonry was not like Craft Masonry ; there was not the same zeal exhibited on behalf of the Arch , and it would be difficult to

get the new chapters supported , and some would come to grief . If there were so many working brethren in this new lodge who wanted to go into the Arch there were hundreds of other chapters which they might join . He was not at all opposing the present petition , but merely wished to point out that there should be some consistency , and that having made a rule six years ago and adhered to

it ever since it should be adhered to now . If this petition was granted he should vote in favour of granting the petition for the Wanderers Chapter . In answer to Comp . F . P . Morell , the M . E . Z . said that though the rule mentioned which had been recommended by the committee had been observed by Grand Chapter , Grand Chapter still retained power to grant or refuse any

petition brought before it . Every petition 0 ught to be considered on its merits . If they found a petition was supported and that there was reason to suppose that the formation of a new chapter would do good to the Order in general , it was for Grand Chapter to considerwhetherthey should grant any particular petition . Grand Chapter would abrogate its own power if it refused a petition simply because it was

according to rule . If , oeemg reason for granting a petition , it granted the petition Grand Chapter retained : ts power . Comp . Mclntyre , Registrar , being called upon for his view of the matter , said he saw nothing in the regulations to limit the power of Grand Chapter . There might be special circumstances in some cases for not following the three years' rule , and where there were such circum-

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stances Grand Chapter had the power to depart from the rule . Comp . C . Hutton Gregory asked whether if the chapter were now granted , the companions of the new chapter would take it as from that ni ght , or whether the motion of this evening would require confirmation at next Grand Chapter .

Comp . Mclntyre said it was rather a curious question , from the mode in which the matter had been treated by Grand Chapter Committee . In the ordinary case when the committee recommended a charter to be granted , the charter issued immediately on the recommendation being adopted . But in this case the committee did not recommend the granting of the charter , but merely recommended

Grand Chapter to consider the tiuestion . From the way the committee had framed their recommendation , it was difficult to see what they meant . One would have thought that the committee if they had meant not to recommend the granting of the charter would have said so in so many words , but they referred the matter to Grand Chapter for its consideration . They steered clear of saying they did

not recommend it . Col . Creaton , President of the Committee , said they felt they could not recommend it , and they shifted the responsibility of granting or rejecting it on the shoulders of Grand Chapter . Comp . Mclntyre referred to the Royal Arch regulations to show that if a charter was recommended and Grand

Chapter granted it , the warrant was forthwith to issue ; but he added that it appeared to him that if it was not recommended , but referred to Grand Chapter for consideration , if Grand Chapter then granted it the grant would require confirmation-at next Grand Chapter . Comp . H . J . P . Dumas said that the three years' rule

was adopted for the purpose of securing a proper supply of Principals to fill the three chairs . In this case it had been shown demonstrably and without any doubt that there would be no lack of Principals for a long time to come ; therefore the letter of the law had been complied with .

The charter was then granted . The renewed petition of the Wanderers Lodge for a charter for a chapter was then read , and the M . E . Z . called any companion to state the circumstances why it should be granted . Comp . Hervey , E ., thought the best way would be to read the petition . He then read the petition , which set out very strong circumstances , among others being the large

number of members of the lodge ; that their Masonic age ranged from thirty-live years downwards ; that many were old Past Principals ; and that there were large numbers of them who could fill the Principals' chairs . The M . E . Z . said he was in the chair on the last meeting , and it was not then shown with sufficient clearness that there was a good supply of P . Z ' s . to fill any vacancies in the chair . The members that were proposed for the three ch .: ' ns had never held chairs before .

Lieut . General Brownrigg , Prov . G . Sup . Surrey , said he had been asked to support this petition , and as a very old Mason and a still older soldier lie felt the greatest in * tcrest in it . He objected as a rule to regimental lodges specially attached to regiments , but where lodges and chapters wereformed in large garrisons such as London he thought the institution most excellent , and that they

should be supported . He was an honorary member of the Wanderers Lodge , and had seen the admirable way in which the work in ttauj lodge had been done . He could say he never saw a $ et of men in his life who were more fit to have a chapter attached to the lodge than those brethren . Therefore , he earnestly recommended it for the reconsideration of Grand Chapter . In the case of

soldiers it was rather exceptional . They were men who had not the amusements that many other classes of society had , and the very occupation of Masonry did them , and did Masonry , a great d-al of good . ( Hear , hear . ) Comp . C . A . Cottebrune seconded the motion , and the petition was unanimously granted . Lieut . General Brownrigg thanked Grand Chapter for the grant .

Com {> . John Mason , H . 73 , moved that itt order to harmonise the regulations of the Supreme Grand Chapter with the laws of Grand Lodge , and to accord with a recent decision of the Grand Registrar in reference to the powers of Grand Superintendents of districts or provinces , —that paragraph 37 , page 12 , of the R . A . regulations , commencing at the words " they are also empowered , " be expunged , and the following regulation substituted :

The Grand Superintendents may summon any chapter or companion within their district to attend them within the limits of such district , and to produce the charter , books , papers , and accounts of the chapter , 01 the certificate of the companion . " " If the summons be not complied with , nor a sufficient reason given for non-compliance , a peremptory summons

shall be issued ; and in case of contumacy , the chapter or companion may be suspended , and the proceedings notified to the Supreme Grand Chapter . The decision of the Grand Superintendents shall be final unless an appeal shall be made therefrom to the Supreme Grand Chapter , but no appeal shall be entertained unless transmitted to the Granel Scribe E , within three calendar months from the date of the decision appealed against . "

"The Grand Superintendents are also empowered to visit the several subordinate chapters in the province or district , to sec that the laws and regulations of the Grand Chapter are observed . " In doing so he said it was quite clear that an error had been made , or that the law was defective . He would not take up the time of Grand Chapter by going into details , but he thought it was desirable where the regulations of Grand Chapter could be brought into exact accordance