Obituary.

He Avas Avell-known as an accomplished draughtsman and musician , and at the time of his death he was 73 years of age . It may be added that the late Secondary was a brother of Mr . Cipriani Potter .

Multum In Parbo, Or Masonic Notes And Queries.

Multum in Parbo , or Masonic Notes and Queries .

—« . — KNIGHTS TEMPLARS AND MASONRY . Bro . Forsyth is probably aware that the Scottish Templars have a recent origin , and that their first warrants were derived from

a doubtful foundation in Dublin . These Avarrants were abandoned in 1811 in favour of an English charter . In 1 844 an attempt Avas made to found Avhat Avas called a " chivalric " branch , and a regulation Avas

enacted by Avhich persons Avho Avere not Masons could be received as candidatestheir mode of reception , the amount of fees payable for installation , and the production of proofs of descent from four

grand-parents entitled to coat-armour , distinguishing them from the ordinary Masonic members . The very statutes themselves of the Scottish Templars prove , by the following passage , that this Avas considered a

questionable proceeding : " As all the charters granted between 1800 and 1836 stipulated that no one Avas to be admitted a Templar AVIIO was not previously a Royal Arch Mason , grave doubts may be

entertained if the Chapter . General had power to pass such a law . " The system Avas not successful , and after a short reign of its wonderful pretensions the Scottish

Templars retraced their steps , and the statutes of 1856 declared " that every one received into the Order must bepreviously a regular Royal Arch Mason . " LUPUS .

THE " MARK" CHAIR . I do not see that there is much difference between the views so ably advocated by "A Craft and Mark Past Master" and myself . Similar opinions have been

expressed by other brethren as well respecting the " Mark" chair , Avhich tend to show there is a strong feeling in favour of the change advocated . Now , the ground I take is just this . So

long as no lodge need suffer from members not being eligible for the " Mark " chair , because a " dispensation " can always be obtained from the authorities whenever the present law is shown to be injurious , there

is actually no ground of complaint . I do not believe a " dispensation" has ever been refused to enable a brother , AVIIO is not an Installed Master in the Craft , being elected as W . M . of a Mark Lodge . Neither do I

think a " dispensation " ever will be refused , as ourGrand Mark Master , being so anxious to promote the best interests of the degree , would of course only be too happy to grant the "dispensations" whenever they are

shown to be desirable . Thc present law prevents ordinary brethren coming in contact with the large body of Past Masters of the Craft Avho adorn the ranks of Mark Masonry .

I have advocated for some time the repeal of the law which requires an installed Craft Master to be also a Warden of a Mark lodge before being qualified for the Mark " chair , " and I shall be among the first to

advocate ' the qualification for thc " chair " in a Mark lodge being only a Warden or Past Warden , if it can be proved that" dispensations " cannot be obtained . AV . J AMES HUGHAN .

IHE BLACKSMITH AND THE HIGHLAND CHIEF . Among the Highlanders , the blacksmith used to rank next the chief . W . P . B .

The Grand Lodge Of Quebec.

THE GRAND LODGE OF QUEBEC .

We cannot conceive how any thoughtful American Freemason , conversant with all the facts of the case , can deny that the Grand Lodge of Quebec was duly and legally formed in accordance with all the precedents of acknowledged Masonic law . We believe it to be

both de facto and de jure—a legitimate body . First , let us look at the logic of facts . We find that the Grand Lodge of Quebec has been recognised by sixteen of the Grand bodies on this continent—to wit : the Grand Lodges of Maine , New Hampshire , District of Columbia ,

Ohio , Illinois , Iowa , Arkansas , Nebraska , Wisconsin , Kansas , Michigan , Nevada , Mississippi , Texas , and Nova Scotia . To this array of Grand Bodies might be added the names of many brilliant individual lights in Masonic jurisprudence who have , after mature consideration ,

and a familiar acquaintance with all the facts , unhesitatingly endorsed the Grand Lodge of Quebec . We need only mention R . AV . Bro . Dr . Mackey , of South Carolina , M . W . Bro . J . H . Drummond , of Maine , and M . W . Bro . Charles F . Stansbury , of the District of

Columbia . So much for the present recognised position and Masonic status de facto of the Grand Lodge of Quebec . Since the whole question has been recently brought afresh before the Masonic world by the published proceedings ofthe Grand Lodge of Quebec , and

the authoritative circular issued by the Grand Lodge of Canada in opposition to its claims , we propose to review the matter ab initio , and show by the closest reasoning , from admitted facts , that our Quebec brethren are entitled everywhere to fraternal recognition .

In the year 1840 , Upper and Lower Canada were united , hy an Act of the Imperial Parliament , under one government—with one legislature . Politically , they formed from that time one State . Then and thereafter for some years Upper and Lower Canada had separate

Provincial Grand Lodges , the Provincial Grand Masters of which were appointed by the Grand Lodge of England . The various lodges of Canada might at any time thereafter have proceeded to regularly send delegates to a convention , and have formed one dominant Grand

Lodge ; they did not do so , however , until the year 1855 , and in the course of three years the Grand Lodge of Canada , so formed , was recognised by all the Grand Bodies of the Masonic world . Itsjurisdictioncontinuedundisturbed until the year 1867 , when the one province , called the

" Province of Canada , " and having but one Legislature or Parliament , by the " British North American Act" of July , 1867—to quote the very language of the Act—was " severed , " and the " Province of Canada " made into two provinces , called the " Province of Quebec "

and the " Province of Ontario , and these two provinces were confederated with two other provinces , Nova Scotia and New Brunswick , and formed into tlic " Dominion of Canada . " Each of these distinct provinces from that time has had an independent Legislature of its own , very

similar in authority to the Legislatures of our own States , and all of these provinces are severally represented in the Dominion Parliament , analagously to the representation of the States of our Union in the Congress of the United States . Two of these provinces—to

wit : Nova Scotia ( since 1866 ) and New Brunswick ( since 1 S 67)—have had independent Grand Lodges , whose legitimacy none deny . True , the former was constituted before its confederation , and the latter was Masonically unoccupied at the time of its formation ; but ,

undeniably , the political status of each is precisely similar to that of Ontario or Quebec , and the existence of an independent Grand Body in any one of these provinces is by itself a strong argument in favour of the Masonic right of the lodges in each of the other sister provinces to have a like Grand Body of their own .

The crucial test of Grand Lodge jurisdiction on this continent is its correspondence with the political boundaries of the State in which it is situated . In other words , Grand Lodge jurisdictions are coterminous AVWA political boundaries ,

The Grand Lodge Of Quebec.

and when a new State or territory is created by Legislative enactment out of what had theretofore existed as one government , it is open to the lodges working in the new territory to' form an independent Grand Lodge . It was in accordance with this governing principle , of Masonic

law and usage , that the Grand Lodges of the territory of Washington , the territory of Idaho , and the State of AVest Virginia were formed , all of which the Grand Lodge of Canada has recognised by holding fraternal communication and correspondence with them . *

The Grand Lodge of Canada ineffectually endeavours to evade the fact that before 1867 there was but one Legislature for the whole of Canada ( while admitting that on and after that time the four provinces of Canada had each an independent Legislature ) by alleging that at each

session of the single Legislature of Canada East and Canada West many local laws were enacted , restricted in their operation to a single province . But this only shows that the authority of the single Legislature of the two provinces was at times exercised for merely local purposes ;

it cannot be argued from this that before 1867 the provinces were in any sense independent . The Legislature had the power to enact , and did enact , general lows ; and this admitted , with absence of any local legislature , the unity ofthe two provinces before 1867 is established beyond

contradiction . The convention to form the Grand Lodge of Quebec met at Montreal on October 20 th , 1869 . In this convention , 21 lodges of the 37 then working in the province were represented . Since then seven additional lodges have adhered ,

leaving only eleven under the warrant of Canada , two under England , and one under Scotland still unfriendly to the Grand Lodge of Quebec . AVe are unhesitatingly of the opinion of R . AV . Bro . Dr . Mackey , who , when consulted by the Grand Lodge of Canada , said that the political

severance of Quebec from Ontario in 1867 made Quebec , Masonically , an unoccupied territory , and open for the organisation of an independent Grand Lodge hy the usual proceedings . The District of Columbia , the State of AVest Virginia , Idaho , and others of our territories in the West ,

were suddenly left Masonically unoccupied in precisely the same way , and became in consequence independent Masonic jurisdictions . The precedents for the action of Quebec are so many , founded upon the fact of its new political status since the British Act of 1867 , that we

cannot see any shadow of a reason why it should not be recognised by every Grand Body in the Masonic world . Tlie Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania has not , ive believe , yet acted upon this matter ; we hope when it is brought before

them they will be guided by an enlightened reason and a full acquaintance with the facts . Justice is a Masonic virtue , and justice is all that the Grand Lodge of Quebec asks . —The Key stone .

Thc Rectangular Review Versus Freemasonry.

Thc RECTANGULAR REVIEW versus FREEMASONRY .

It is only proper that I should again make a protest against the misuse to which the pages of The Rectangular Review tret now being - , at the arbitrary will of a certain " brother , " put . I shall have occasion , I plainly sec , to write the true history of that periodical , and perhaps you will favour me by

announcing my intention to do so . I have , at the same time , no personal object to serve ; but it seems strange that we should have amongst us so many wolves in shecps' clothing . I do not criticise the last Masonicarticlc , for it is below criticism ; butwhenmy

vera rclatio appears , probably many things will , at length , be seen in their true light . What is really desirable is unanimity towards our great ends—not petty diatribes against or anent individuals . KENNETH R . H . MACKENZIE , otherwise known as CRVPTONYMUS .

"M ORE than a year ago one of my children was attacked with bronchitis , and , after a long illness , was given up by my physician tis 'past cure . ' I was then induced to try your Vegetable Pain Killer , and from the time I began the use of it the child rapidly got better , and is now strong and healthy . — J AVINSTANLEY , 10 , Whitlle-st :, Vpool , Jan . i 860 . — 'fo 1 \ D . & Son . "