Metropolitan

remained buried in the official archives of England for about nine or ten months , not only unattended to , but without meeting with the usual courtesy of a formal acknowledgment . His lordship next adverted to the colonial relations of English Freemasonry : without entering at length into the history of their claims , their repeated complaints , the neglect of their remonstrances , and the revulsion of feeling which had followed upon the treatment of their interests , and which had converted Canada into a disaffected province , he called particular attention to

the present position of affairs . He alluded to the concessions announced by the Most Worshipful G . M . at the recent meeting of Grand Lodge , and expressed a hope that concessions made in so conciliatory a manner , carrying with them all the influence which was derivable from so high an authority , and accompanied by an honourable and candid acknowledgmeiit , which set no unbecoming example to many of those who had assumed the position of advisers to the Most Worshipful G . M ., would prove successful . He could not , however , disguise that these concessions came tardily , that the feelings in Canada in favour of independence had

grown very strong , and that it was more than doubtful if their colonial supremacy could now be preserved . He was afraid that in this matter they had gone too near that fatal rock ' Too Late , ' which had shipwrecked so many empires , dynasties , and governments . This was a matter upon which the country Lodges would have done well to have put their views before Grand Lodge . In respect to domestic affairs , his lordship explained at some length the constitution and working of Grand Lodge . Properly it was the parliament of Freemasonry , the representative and exponent of all the English Lodges—practically it was not so . Country

Lodges were ill-informed of the subjects to be brought forward , and were therefore , with certain exceptions , seldom represented . He pointed out the intention of the constitution in the establishment of a Board of Masters , as a committee of information for the benefit of the country Lodges . In reference to this object , and to meet present requirements , he had proposed the restoration of these functions of the Board of Masters in the form of circulars , to be issued to the country Lodges , and to contain notices of the business to come before Grand Lodge in time to admit the opportunity of their expressing oj > inions upon those notices

through their representatives in Grand Lodge . This measure , after having been affirmed in principle four or five times by Grand Lodge , had been , by Grand Lodge , referred to the Board of General Purposes , to be carried into effect . The Board had agreed to it , and , according to custom , had deputed the chairman , Bro . Bobie , G . R ., to move it in Grand Lodge . This , contrary to the supposed duty of all chairmen , and to the custom of all representative assemblies , he had on his own responsibility refused to do . Thus this most important measure , involving an act of simple justice to the country Lodges , after being over and over again affirmed

by Grand Lodge , was shelved by an unconstitutional assumption of authority . In respect to the part he had taken in recent proceedings in Grand Lodge , the noble Brother touched upon the charges sometimes brought against him and others , of a wish for innovation . He distinctly denied any wish to introduce changes into the Order . To talk of change in the principles of the Order was simply absurd . They admitted of no change , of no possibility of change ; and to talk of real changes in the constitution of English Masonry , was nearly as idle . The constitution was a very good one if adhered to . It was not change , hut restoration , —

the maintenance of constitutional relationship between the Grand Master and Grand Lodge , between Grand Lodge and its component parts , between English and Colonial Lodges , —that he desired to see ; and on those who seemed to forget these great principles , and who charged him with innovation , he retorted the accusation of change . It was the change which had cast a chilling apathy through too large a part of the Craft , the change which looked with indifference

on the persecutions of foreign Brethren , the change which had alienated Canada , and which would now exile the country Lodges from their share in the discussion and management of the public business of the Order to which they were intitled by the letter and spirit of the constitution , that he condemned and deprecated . " After some further remarks , the noble Brother concluded by saying— " That he entertained sanguine hopes for the future , that by a strong feeling and expression of interest on the part of the country Lodges in the affairs of the Craft , by mutual