The Masonic Mirror.

laws , but you must make this new law first , and till it is so made you must abide by the laws which ^ are made . " Bro . Burlton again attempted to address the Brethren , but was stopped by The Grand Master , who said : " I am bound by my solemn obligation to maintain the laws and usages of the Craft . There is only one interpretation of that oath , I must maintain those laws and usages to the best of my knowledge and ability , and enforce them according to my own interpretation of them . fOh , oil !)

± > retnren may say * Uh , oh ! but so long as I occupy this chair I shall maintain order in Grand Lodge . ( Applause . ) I shall interpret the laws to the best of my ability . I assert , then , on my own responsibility , that the Worshipful Bro . Burlton was following out a line of argument which is disorderly , and which he is not competent to pursue . I therefore call upon him to refrain . " ( Applause . ) Bro . Burlton : " It is all very well for your lordship to act according to your own understanding , but there are other persons here who must be allowed to interpret them according to the best of their judgment ( cheers ) , and " The Grand Master : "If the Worshipful Brother proceeds in this strain , I shall have to request him to leave Grand Lodge . " ( Applause . )

-Bro . Burlton : " Then I will only make one more remark , and that is , we find , in page 31 , Article 10 : ' If ' the Grand Master shall abuse his power . " The boisterous applause which interrupted this passage w as such that it prevented Bro . Burlton from continuing . There were however loud and continued cries of " Read ! read ] " and the result was that the Grand Master himself read the clause , which was as follows : — "If the Grand Master should abuse his power , and render himself unworthy of the obedience of the Lodges , he shall be subjected to some new regulation , to be dictated by the occasion : because , hitherto , the ancient Fraternity have had

no reason to provide for an event which tney have presumed would never happen . " / 'By that law , " concluded the Grand Master , "I am perfectly willing to abide . " ( Loud applause . ) Bro . Burlton then brought forward his motion for the adoption of the report , but said that he did so under protest , and only to prevent any further delay in so important a matter ( cheers ); while doing so , he entered his solemn protest , because he would maintain that the business had been settled already . ( Cheers . ) But because he wished to do justice to the Canadian Brethren , he would then move that the report be received and adopted . Much he might have said on that subject , in temperate terms , such as one Freemason had a right to address to

another , but when knocked down by the gavel , as he had been , he could do no more in support of his motion than to express his dissatisfaction generally with the result of th # mismanagement , so far as the colonial affairs of the Craft were concerned . He concluded by formally proposing his motion , which was seconded by Bro . Kent , late Prov . G . M . for Australia . Bro . Pobie suggested that the clauses should be put seriatim , which was agreed to . On Clause 1 , Bro . Binckes asked permission to refer to one or two other parts of the Book of

Constitutions . The Grand Master said that he would not allow it . Bro . Binckes said ., that then he would have to move an amendment for the purpose of calling attention to the decision which his lordship had unfortunately given . This amendment was , " That this Grand Lodge having already decided , in a Grand Lodge legally constituted ( oh , oh ! and loud cheers ) , the question which is now before them , it cannot be settled in Grand Lodge twice . ( Protracted cheering ) . He thought it was very inexpedient to proceed further with this motion , because Clause 13 said , ' All powers , authorities , rules , and regulations , for the government of the Grand Lodge , or Provincial Grand Lodges , or private Lodges , or Boards , or Committees respectively , during times of public business , or meetings , or proceedings , shall be used , and exercised , and enforced respectively by the officers or members by any law or constitution authorized to preside or act in the absence of the Grand Master , or any superior Officer or member in such Lodges , Boards , or Committees , or in the general government of