Grand Priory Of Canada.

cement of our Christian -Orders . While all do not hold the same views , and many consider that the adoption of exclusive principles on social grounds , and the requiring from candidates a profession of Trinitarianism , are antagonistic to its

connection with Freemasonry , it must be borne iu mind that these Orders are strictly Christian , and based upon the leading doctrines of the Christian reli gion ; it surely ought to be the pride of all its members to raisenot lower the social standardand

, , to maintain the Order within its proper sphere , not by endeavouring to give it the literal character of the " Religious and Military Order , " as in the olden time , but by confining ourselves to the place it has now assumed , which the changes of society

has rendered necessary , and by practising one of its fundamental principles , charity towards each other , pirove to the world the sincerity of our ties of brotherhood . Various phases of opinon no doubt exist in the Order which those who hold them

might fairly express , but I much fear , that in some of the discussions which have taken place , relative to the recent revision motives have beenattributed andstatements made , not borne out by facts , by persons jealous of the increasing prosperity and influence of the Orders .

Anticipatmg our being shortly formed into a National Grand Priory , I propose ajipointing a Committee to draw up a code of statutes for our future guidance , and to report upon such matters as may be conducive to the prosperity of the Order in Canada . One subject has been frequentl

y brought to my notice which had better be decided on , viz , the advisability of introducing an out-door costume , to be worn on special occasions , although I am personally opposed to all public displays as detracting from the dignity of the Orderand can

, onl y repeat what I have said on former occasions—that it is for the best interests of the Order to avoid publicity as much as possible . The Committee must be guided in the selection of an appropriate and uniform style of dress by the necessity of

modif ying the exhibition of the peculiar distinguishing badges of the Orders . Public demonstrations of this kind are seldom if ever indulged in by the Order in the British Dominions , as they are very apt to draw down the ridicule of the common sense practical outsider . As bearing upon

this subject I quote the following extract from the interesting and instructive report on foreign correspondence of the Grand Commaudery of Maine , U . S ., by V . E . Sir Kt . Josiah Drummond : — " To the Order in general we repeat our caution

against the existing tendency to substitute the shoio of Templarism for its substance . In yielding to the demand for outward demonstrations we attract to us those who care only for display , and repel those who practise our principles . " And in the last

number of the Craftsman , under the heading of " Masonic Funerals , " an interesting passage is given from the report on foreign correspondence of the Grand Loclge of New Hampshire , which , after ably discussing the circumstances under

which these solemn rites of Masonry are to be performed , and never in conjunction with other societies , concludes as follows : "In truth , the less we appear in public , no matter for what purpose , the better . " Tiu-ning for a few minutes to the

interesting subject of the recent reorganisation of the Order which has not only become law , but of that Jaw we are so shortly to be the administrators on our own behalf in Canada , it may be as well to follow up the remarks in my last annual Address

and again revert to some of the objections raised to such reconstruction , and the objects sought by the Commissioners , in the union of the Great Priories of England and Ireland .

Amongst the objections is that of the name " United Religious and Military Orders . " Now the Orders were originally composed of " Military Monks " partaking both of the character of "Soldiers and Priests , " and they had also in the Templar

Order , a class exclusively clerical who devoted themselves to the civil and religious affairs of the Order and took no part in warfare . History informs us that the Orders of the Temple and St . John were , during the Crusades , antagonistic to

each other , and frequently engaged iu open warfare ; but after the suppression of the Templars , their Order , although proscribed by the Pope , still enjoyed possessions in Scotland , and retained conjointly with that of the Hospitallers of St . John of Jerusalem

, lands in common , and it was not until the era of the Reformation that the whole possessions of the combined Templars and Hospitallers were declared forfeited to the