Quebec V. England.

QUEBEC V . ENGLAND .

BY BRO . J . H . GRAHAM , P . G . M . No . II . jhe unfraternal state of affairs between the Grand Lodges of Quebec , Eng land has arisen chiefly from divergency of opinions regarding 3 n tain of the rights , privileges , and prerogatives of Grand Lodges , ce - „ n .. it wnnld seemof those in the Colonies .

, 6 SP The founders of the Grand Lodge of Quebec , of whom the writer was held that it was ( and is ) entitled to have and exercise exclusive 0 ne e ' reign jurisdiction overall Craft lodges situated within the geographical

Iim its of the Province ot yueoec . This op inion was entertained , and embodied in the Grand Regulations f r the government of the Craft in Quebec , because it was deemed to be t only in accord with the inherent rights of the Craft , but also with the " orrect interpretation of the evolutionary history of the Fraternity there C ° t and with the provisions of the Constitutions of the United Grand

en i dee of England , and of those of Ireland and Scotland , and of the United States of America ; established either prior to—about the same period—or after the formation in 1813 , only 75 years ago , of the United Grand Lodge of Eng land and Wales . _ , . . The writer has heretofore stated certain conclusions in re , as follows : —

11 It therefore clearly appears that the principle of coincidence ( or coterminousness ) of political and Masonic boundaries is an acknowledged law of the British Constitutions ; that the jurisdiction of each Grand Lodge is exclusive within its own geographical limits ; that each of these Grand

Lodges is absolutely sovereign ; and that each of them may and does enforce its territorial , exclusive sovereign authority by the most extreme Masonic penalties , against all lodges existing within its boundaries in contravention thereto , or in violation thereof . "

" The doctrine of exclusive Grand Lodge sovereignty is not therefore , as has been flippantly said , a Masonic ' Yankee Notion , ' nor can it properly be called an 'American Doctrine' ( although so generally accepted , and admirably applied with the most beneficial results to the Craft throughout the United States and the Dominion ); but it is the doctrine of the ancient

Constitutions , a part of the unalterable body of true and genuine Freemasonry , which must be for ever upheld and maintained . " And also , " Since the princip le of the exclusive sovereign jurisdiction of each of the British Grand Lodges is acknowledged , and prevails within their geographical limits , which are still the same as they were prior to the union

of their formerly separate kingdoms into one United Kingdom , it therefore follows that the same law of exclusive Masonic sovereignty ought [ it fortiori ) to prevail within the geographical limits of the Province of Quebec , because , since the federation of Quebec with the other British

North American Provinces into one Dominion , Quebec , like all the other Federal Provinces , possesses a separate political autonomy , having a Parliament ( Legislature ) of its own , with ample legislative , judicial , and executive powers , such as is not possessed by England , Scotland , or Ireland , as parts of 'The United Kingdom . '" Richmond , Quebec , Canada , May 8 . ( To be continued ) .

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

ROYAL MASONIC BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION .

The annual meeting of the supporters of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution for Aged Freemasons and Widows of Freemasons was held on the 18 th inst ., in the large hall of Freemasons' Tavern . Bro . J . L . Mather , P . A . G . D . C ., presided , and a large number of brethren were present .

At the opening of the proceedings Ero . J AMES TERRY , Secretary , announced that H . R . H . the Prince of Wales , M . W . G . M ., had appointed Wednesday , 27 th February , 188 9 , for the next Anniversary Festival of this Institution . He also read a letter from the Earl of Euston , R . W . Prov . G . M . of Norths and Hunts , expressing the pleasure he would have in presiding at the next Festival .

The report of the Auditors was read by Bro . TERRY . Bro . TERRY next read the annual report of the Institution , as follows : — The Committee of Management has much pleasure in submitting a report of its Proceedings during the past year to the Governors and Subscribers of the Institution . The Annual Festival was held , by direction of h ' s Koyal Highness the Prince of Wales , K . G .. &< c . Cranrl Patron anrl President , on Wednesday , the 2 n'h February last .

jw > . Sir George Elliot , Bart ., M . P ., R . W . Prov . G . Master of South Wales ( Eastern 'vision ) , presided , and the Board of 27 6 Stewards , who gave him their services , were " cces ^' ul in raising amongst them the very handsome total of £ 15 , 296 ys . ( 3 d . 'J his m , though nearly £ 4000 less than the result of last year's Festival , is considerably L '"" tven Ihe most sanguine friends of Ihe Ir . stitution had anticipated , indeed it . oeen SUTDassprl at nnlv turn nrevinns anniversaries nf the In . s . ti ! ntinn . and the f !

nm-« ee therefore is most anxious to place on record its heartfelt thanks to the Chairman , and fl ? u ' P res'ded , the Stewards who so energetically and successfully supported him , Th p " . n and others who contributed with such conspicuous generosity . GtanH I omrrnt ' has likewise to express its deep sense of indebtedness to United a J ! ? *>& &* for the sum of £ 2107 , being one-third part of the pioceeds of the fees for

occa t * "" * Royal Albert Ha "> South Kensington , on the 13 th June , 1 S 87 , on the Quee ' " ° , *' S reat gathering of English Freemasons to congratulate her Majesty the 'n co ° Jubilee Anniversary of her accession to the throne ; as well as for a grant eVer "" J ^ rooration of the same joyous event of ^ 2000 , payment of part of which , howforeiD t ' ) een defe'r-ed in consequence of the prolonged absence from England on Trust " f r f . the M -W . the Earl oi Carnarvon , Pro Grand Master , and one of the imeu

Ti , ""¦ ""> urana Loage . e ntereri t " i ^ has much pleasure in announcing further that the undertaking *" Petu 1 p year kv tne Province of West Yorkshire to purchase the right of two Jubilee h L £ Sen ' '' to the Widows' Fund , in commemoration of the Queen ' s ex erciserl " t n con ~ P ' ' ed by ihe payment of £ 2100 . That the province has already Action / 'Shtpf nominating two Widows , who were candidates on the list for this been pair ? tha ' ' n accordance with the rules of the Institution , the said Widows have 'he ist Ma ln ifi 'Vance * " * e ' * rs- 1 uarler ' . y instalment of their annuities of ^' 32 each , from

"luitant on ln May , ' 887 , there were upon the funds of the Institution 405 can didates ' t ame'y > " 7 S Men and 227 Widows , and to-day there are 129 approved ¦ "avingijp' Ij-hom 6 7 are Men and 62 Women—the original number of 6 4 Widows Furred to " . ? ° uced by the nomination of the two West Yorkshire candidates already 'ast year wli tnav ' . K regard to the very large increase in the number of annuitants * ™ nen 5 additional Male Annuities and 25 additional Female Annuities were

Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution.

created , and also to the fact this year ' s Festival returns are only slightly in excess of the total sum required to provide the existing Annuities , the Committee has not felt itself justified in recommending any further increase on either Fund . Seeing how large is the number of candidates , this decision will , no doubt , be the subject of very general regret , but as the permanent income of the Institution , vhen compared with its fixed expenditure , is small , the Committee is unanimously of opinion that it would be both unwise and inexpedient to enlarge responsibilities which , notwithstanding the generous support ef

the Craft , it already taxes all their energies and resources to satisfy Thus the number of vacancies as declared in February , namely , 16 men ( 13 immediate and 3 deferred ) and 7 women ( 4 immediate and 3 deferred ) will remain unaltered so far as the creation of any new annuities is concerned j but in the interval that has elapsed since then , there have died 7 Men and S Widows ,, so that the number to be elected to-day will be 23 Men

and 15 Widows . There will consequently be during the current year , 17 S Annuitants each receiving £ 40 per annum on the Male Fund , and 229 Annuitants each receiving £ 32 per annum on the Widows' Fund , the total sum distributable annually amongst these 407 annuitants being £ 14 , 446 . To this must be added a further sum of , £ 340 divisible , under Law 9 of the Male Fund , among 17 widows of recently deceased male annuitants , so that the expenditure for the present year in respect of annuities alone will amount to £ 14 , 786 .

The Committee begs to express its thanks to United Grand Lodge for the renewal of its annual contribution of £ 70 towards providing the inmates of the Asylum at Croydon with coal duiing the winter months . It is also desirous of thanking , as it does most cordially , the honorary surg'eons of the Institution , Henry John Strong , Esq ., M . D ., and R . Percy Middlemist , Esq ., for their kind and unremitting attention to those of the annuitants , whether residents or non-residents , who have been unfortunately compelled to seek their medical advice and assistance .

It is with the deepest regret that the Committee draws attention to the great loss sustained by the Institution through the unexpected death in March last of Edgar Bowyer , Esq ., Past Grand Standard Bearer of England , and Patron , Treasurer , and Trustee of this Institution . He was one of its most generous benefactors , besides being a most efficient officer , and the Governors and Subscribers , like the Committee of Management , will probably derive some consolation in the midst cf their sorrow from the knowledge that his last official Masonic act was to preside at the final meeting of the Board of Stewards f r the recent Festival .

The Committee has to report that the building at Croydon will need this year the usual cleansing and reparation , which all such buildings require , in order to preserve it in a sound condition .

The audited statement of account for the year ended 31 st March , 1 SS 8 , is appended . It has been compiled with the utmost care , and has undergone a rigorous examination by the Audit Committee before b = ing finally approved and passed , and the Committee of Management isconfident the Governors and Subscribers , on inspecting it , will find the funds of the Institution have been administered with a due regard to economy . In conclusion , the Committee desires to express its earnest hope that the efforts of the general body of English Freemasons in supporting this valuable Institution will be as successful in the future as they have been in the past . As was remarked in the report

of last year , it is inevitable there should be at all times a considerable number of brethren and widows of brethren in a condition of distress , more or less serious , which it is not in their own power to alleviate , and the Committee is firmly persuaded that there is no existing Masonic organisation which is able to cope so readily and efficaciously with all such cases as thc Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution . For this reason the Committee has every confidence that the earnest appeals which it is compelled to renew annually for the means to fulfil its work will always be responded to with a generous hand .

On motion , duly made and seconded , the report was received and adopte d and ordered to be entered on the minutes . Bros . Hobbs , Fraser , and Blaisberg were next elected to serve on the Committee of Management in place of three members retiring . The next business was the consideration of the following alterations of the rules proposed to be made by Bro . J . A . Birch , P . Prov . G . Warden East Lancashire .

The words printed in italics are the alterations suggested , and the words bracketed are those proposed to be omitted . 2 . The Grand Master [ for the time being ] shall be President of the Institution . The Treasurer of the Institution shall be elected annually on the [ third Friday in May ] , Monday following last Friday in April .

7 . A general meeting of the Governors and Subscribers shall take place annually , at 12 o'clock at noon , on the [ third Friday in May ] , Monday following last Friday in April , for general business , and to elect the ten members of the Committee , each of whom shall be a Life Governor , or a Subscriber to the amount of £ 1 annually to either fund .

13 . The Committee shall , at its meeting in [ February ] January in each year , or at an adjournment thereof , determine the nnmber of annuitants , male and female , to be elected , of which number three men and three widows will not be entitled to receive the annuity until vacancies shall have occurred after the annual general meeting . Should any death or deaths occur amongst the annuitants , between that meeting and the general meeting [ in May ensuing ] , the number to be elected shall be increased in like proportion . 35 . Ihe Chairman presiding at the annual general meeting shall announce the

result of the billot for the election of annuitants on that day . If the votes polled for any of the candidates be equal , and the number to be declared elected thereby increased , the same shall be referred by the Chairman to the Committee of Management for their decision at the meeting in [ June ] , May . Should a scrutiny be demanded , the Chairman shall postpone the declaration thereof to a period not exceeding three days from the date of such meeting , when the numbers polled for each candidate shall be declared and advertised in three daily London papers , and posted in the office of the Secretary of the Institution for one week .

47 . The accounts of receipts and disbursements of the Male Fund , and of the Widows' Fund , shall be kept separate and distinct , and a general statement of the finances of the Institution shall be annually prepared ; and after having been duly audited shall , together with a report of the proceedings of the Committee of Management , be presented to the annual general meeting [ in May ] , and to Grand Lodge in June following .

49 . No motion for any new regulation or law , or the abrogation or alteration of any existing regulation or law , shall be entertained at the annual general meeting , unltss a copy of the same shall have been communicated to the Committee of Management , at or previous to their meeting in [ February ] , January , and the Committee shall direct notice of such motion to be inserted in the balloting-paper .

Bro . BIRCH then moved the alterations in No . 2 , stating that it would be for the convenience of the provincial brethren to do away with the May journey to London altogether , and to remain in town for an election of this Institution when they were in London for the elections of the Boys' and Girls' Schools , which had now been fixed for April . The expenses as well as the trouble of journeying to and sojourning in London would likewise be spared them , Bro . G . P . BROCKBANK , P . G . Std . Br ., seconded the motion .

A BROTHER wanted to know the reason of the proposed alteration . The Boys' and Girls' Schools had certain dates of meetings , and if the present proposition was accepted , the brethren would have to be three instead of two days here . Bro . BIRCH said it had already been explained . A Committee was appointed to consider the question , and the Committee had reported in favour of his proposition .

Capt . S . G . HOMFRAY , P . A . G . D . C , Dep . Prov . G . M . for Monmouth , next rose and said he had much pleasure in moving as an amendment , that in place of the words "third Friday in May , " to substitute "Monday following the last Friday in October . Bro . WALTER HOPEKIRK , P . G . Purst ., seconded the motion . Bro . CHARLES LACEY , in support of the rule as it at present stands , said , he thought it was always unwise to attempt to make any great alteration in the rules unless there was a good reason for it , They had not heard