Royal Arch.

Comp . Havers thereupon rose and moved that that part of the minutes referring to the proposed alteration be not confirmed . He regretted that neither the mover nor the seconder of the resolution was present that evening ; but that regret was lessened by the fact that they were aware he was about to move that the resolution be not confirmed , he having given them notice of his intention , He could see no fair reason for the proposed change , and he denied that it was a fair reason that the law was not enforced in the colonies . In the old rules it was

necessary they should be twelve months craftsmen before they could become Master Masons ; and that period having , under the new arrangement , been fixed upon as the distinctive time during which a Mason could not be advanced from the Craft to the Boyal Arch , he thought it ought to be maintained . He thought they ought to be very careful how they made alterations in their arrangements , for the same arguments which told against the period which ought to elapse between being made aM . M . and exalted to the Arch would tell against the period nowallowed

to elapse between the conferring of the three Craft Degrees . He knew that there was a very strong feeling throughout the country against the proposed alteration , and he thought it would be most unwise to persevere in it , seeing that there were only thirteen Companions below the dais at the time the resolution—which took him , and he believed the majority of the Companions , by surprise— -was brought forward . Furthermore , he felt that it was very objectionable to increase the expenses of Masonry on the Brethren just as they entered it , as would be the case were Brethren immediately after their initiation called upon to pay £ 5 or £ 6

to enter the Arch . He trusted they were bound together by a fraternal bond far more powerful than that of £ . s . d . ; and sure he was that the Grand Chapter could have no occasion to augment its funds by the introduction of Brethren amongst them who , but being new to Masonry , had not had time to consider the further great obligation they took on entering the Boyal Arch . He sincerely trusted they would now agree with him in his determination not to confirm that portion of the minutes of their last meeting which reduced the period after a Bro . was a M . M . for his being advanced to the Royal Arch from twelve months

to one . Comp . Savage seconded the motion of Comp . Havers . He did so with the more confidence , because he was aware that , throughout the country Chapters , there was a great feeling on the subject , and he knew that there were then present many Companions who attended as deputations from country Chapters , determined to oppose the proposed innovation on the customs of the Order . If they found they

could not carry out their regulations in the colonies , in consequence of the laws of the Irish and Scotch Grand Chapters , that might be a reason for relaxing their regulations so far as regarded the colonies , but not as respected England ; and that they had a precedent for making the distinction could not be doubted , if they only referred to the law which allowed the colonial Prov . G . Ms , to grant dispensations —a power he believed generally acted upon—for the conferring of the Craft Degrees at a distance of seven instead of twenty-eight days .

Comp . Dr . Jones supported the same view of the question , and expressed his opinion that it would be even better for the Craft if the period of probation was increased from one year to seven . The G . Scribe E . ( Comp . White ) entered into a history of the Degree too minute for a Masonic publication , and contended that they ought not to negative the resolution until the whole of the Chapters had been consulted , and suggested that it would be better only to defer the confirmation of the minutes for a time , until the result of such a consultation could be obtained .

Comp . Symonds defended the resolution . He thought that there had been no reason shown why the resolution should not be confirmed , and could only express his opinion , that ' if a change were good for the colonies , it must also be good for the mother country . Com ]) . Gole took quite a different view to the previous speaker . It was true that they were told in theory that this was not a new Degree—that it was only the completion of the Third Degree . But custom had made it a Bourth Degree , suid one he must be allowed to say of great importance ; and he therefore objected to the proposed alteration in their constitutions .