Metropolitan

remarks , and , as obedience was one of the first virlues inculcated by Freemasonry , he did not hesitate to obey the command . And , first , he must be permitted to express the very great satisfaction he hald felt in being present on" this occasion , and in witnessing the working of the Lodge in a manner creditable to the W . M ., and the officers of the . Lodge . In the next place , he was gratified to have had

this opportunity of making the personal acquaintance of so many Brethren in this neighbourhood . He had heard with pleasure of the fame of the Lodges , the number of Freemasons in Plymouth , Devonport , and Stonehouse , but he heard with still greater pleasure the expression of their interest in the welfare of the Order . If those whom he had the pleasure of now speaking to had read the recent proceedings in the Grand Lodge , they would be aware that he had felt most anxious that the country Lodges should take an interest in the business of

Grand Lodge . It was the main element of this prosperity and right administration that the country Lodges should show an interest in the proceedings of Grand Lodge . As individual Brethren were represented in the Lodges , so should the country Lodges find their representation in Grand Lodge . That this was often otherwise , Was in a great measure the fault of the Lodges themselves ; and the resumption of this principle of representation , as it would have anticipated , so now it would obviate many difficulties , and heal ^ many evils which had grown

up . It had been his fortune to press upon Grand Lodge three subjects , two of which affected to a considerable extent the restoration of the representative character of Grand Lodge . Having regard to the numbers of Freemasons and their diffusion over the country , the colonies , and the associated Lodges of other countries , English Freemasonry might be viewed as a . kingdom ; and its policy , like that of a kingdom , had three great relations—foreign , colonial , and domestic . With their permission , he would say a few words on the existing position of

Grand Lodge with respect to each of these interests . In the first place , in connection with their foreign relations , there was a subject of great importance to some of their Brethren in foreign countries at present before Grand Lodge ; he referred to the persecutions of Freemasons by the Roman Catholic clergy—persecutions which no doubt sprung out of a misconception of the character of Freemasonry , and the objects it had in view . In all ages Freemasonry had been regarded with suspicion , and assailed in turn by calumny , and in turn by open oppression ; but

nowhere w as the prejudice against it stronger than in Roman Catholic countries . In Malta , the Mauritius , Trinidad , and at Hong-Kong , Freemasons had been deprived of their civil and religious privileges , and had been interdicted from the holy offices of baptism , marriage , and burial , by the Roman Catholic clergy . Facts proving but too plainly and painfully that this was the case were before Grand Lodge , and , as others had failed to do so , he could not avoid calling attention to the subject ; and with the view , if not to remedy the evil and to

convince the oppressors , at least to place them in a false position , to render the . persecution itself more difficult , and to prove to our foreign arid suffering Brethren that they had the sympathy of English Freemasons , he had proposed that a statement of the principles of Freemasonry be drawn up by the Board of General Purposes for circulation . He believed such a statement , being authorized by the Grand Lodge , would have had the effect of showing how much the persecutors had mistaken its purpose , and the character of its members ; it would have shown

them that its first and fundamental principle was a recognition of religion , and its second a rigid non-intervention in the politics of any country . That proposal was conceived in a moderate spirit , and expressed in temperate language , but it unfortunately did not obtain the concurrence of Grand Lodge . It was opposed by various Brethren on the dais , first on one ground , then on another ; now because it proposed too much , then because it proposed too little , and at last

seemed to be shelved in a manner very prejudicial to the dignity , the justice , and the interest of the Craft at home and abroad . He regretted to say that the real objection at the root of these minor cavils seemed to be a fact which be had stated in the cour . se of the debate little creditable to Masonic administration , but which had been unchallenged and uncontradicted ; It was this : the G . M . of France had addressed a letter to our authorities in England , dwelling on the oppression of foreign Masons , and requesting their co-operation . This letter had