The Masonic Miiror,

General Committee ^ and all undisposed of business on the agenda paper of the Lodge at which any such resolution for an adjournment shall be adopted , may be brought forward and disposed of at any such adjourned meeting . " He contended that the Grand Lodge met for the purpose of discussing propositions / and not to legislate without discussion ; and if their business could not be completed within the time usually allotted to their proceedings , as had frequently been the case , the necessity far some such proposition as that which he submitted was sufficiently obvious . On the last occasion they only got as far

as the end of the orders of the day , and left twenty-two notices of motion standing upon the paper untouch eel . ( Hear , hear . ) Much dissatisfaction prevailed throughout the Craft at the mode in which the business of Grand Lodge had been conducted . As for the allegation that there were parties in Grand Lodge ^ he contended that there ought only to be one party in any body of Freemasons . ( Applause . ) He thought that the four Quarterly Comrriunieations of Grand Bodge were now no longer adequate to meet the wants of such as Breemasonry had now become . If the Order was to continue prosperous and esteemed , the important resolutions submitted to Grand Lodge ought to receive careful attention and deliberate discussion . This could not be done with

only four meetings a year , of three hours each , when an hour or an hour and a half was spent in reading the minutes . ( Hear , hear . ) He believed that this resolution , instead of detracting from the honour or lustre of the office of Grand Master , or of any of the Grand Officers , it would increase their power , and the system of Freemasonry would rise , in the esteem of the outer world . ( Applause . ) Bro . BE . G . Warren , P . M . No . 202 : I second the motion with peculiar pleasure , because it arises out of a motion of mine in September last for the holding of a Lodge , which your lordship declared illegal . I am not going to dispute that

decision , as we are bound by your lordship ' s decisions as G . M . But I do consider that the power of adjournment is more particularly necessary , because meetings like this are in themselves anomalous for it has been held , that when once we give notice of motion , if it is not brought on before eleven o ' clock at night , notice must be given again , and then we find perhaps ten or twelve new motions before those previously put on the paper . ( Hear , hear , and applause . ) Tims we may go on for years without being able to bring on our motions . ( Hear , hear , and

cheers . ) The G . M ., by calling a special meeting , decides that the motions are not to drop , but that we are now to begin where we left off in December , though the motions are held by the Board of Masters to be dropped . I think , if for no other reason than to remedy this anomaly , we ought to have the power of adjournment . ( Hear , hear . ) I can assure your lordship , that there is no Brother here who will support the motion for adjournment from factious motives . ( Applause . ) What we want is to go on with the questions before us , and avoid , as far as practicable , continual adjournments .

Bro . J . R . Stebbing , W . M . No 462 , P . M . Nos . 152 and 155 , moved the following amendment : "That the following addition be made to the 7 th section , p . 19 , ' Book of Constitutions ' : — 'That it shall be competent for a majority of the members present at any of the before-mentioned or at any other Grand Lodge , to adjourn any portion of the business appointed to be transacted , to some day to be appointed by the M . W . Grand Master or his Deputy for the holding of a Special Grand Lodge , within one month from the day of adjournment , if at or after eleven o ' clock any portion of such business shall remain undisposed of . ' " He said he came 100 miles himself to attend Grand Lodge , and was sometimes

accompanied by eight or ten Brethren ( hear , hear ) , and then they found that the business appointed to be transacted was postponed . ( Hear , hear . ) Sometimes it appeared purposely postponed . It was impossible to carry ' on the increasing business of Masonry with the four Quarterly Communications . If the G-rand Lodge was not held legally , several Grand Lodges would be held illegally . Ho hoped they would avoid the quicksand lying before them in their path , by holding Grand Lodges so often as to allow every Brother a chnnce of bringing his motions forward . He had himself seventeen motions he was anxious to introduce . ( Loud laughter and cheers . ) No institute could live without full and free discussion . ( Laughter and applause . ) There was great dissatisfaction in the country ; his