Hint To The Working Supporters Of The Masonic Charities.

brethren to know that , after having repeatedly brought the matter before the brethren of the lodge to which I belong—No . 310 , Carlisle—I have at last succeeded in obtaining a footing . At the regular meeting of my lodge , held on Tuesday , the 29 th ult . ( though only a small one ) , I , with the assistance of Bro .

Thomas Cockburu , commenced a list of subscriptions in aid of so laudable a purpose . I shall be most happy to receive the subscription of any brother or non-Mason who may feel desirous of contributing his mite . My intention is to present the whole through my Prov . G . M . to the Graud Lodge . Yours fraternally , AltTHUE WOODHOUSE , Steward 310 , S . W . 412 , Prov . G . S .

Suspension Of Lodge Office-Bearers.

SUSPENSION OF LODGE OFFICE-BEARERS .

TO THE EDITOR OE THE EREEUASONS' 3 IAGAZIXE A > 'D 1 TASOXIC AIIRROR . Dear Sir and Brother , —In your issue of the 26 th ult ., I find a letter from Bro . Campbell , replying to mine of the 21 st of September last , but I do not consider that he throws any light on the matter to uphold his opinion , as the correct one ,

while Provincial Grand Lodge would then he wrong ; for admitting that it ivas the Prov . G . Secretarv who was present in Graud Lodge on the occasion referred to , still I do not find him taking any stand in Grand Lodge thereupon , but in the extract from Grand Lodge minutes which Bro . Campbell quotes , he is

merely mentioned as Bro . W . Smith , R . W . M . 360 , therefore I still hold that some oue was bound to send official information to Provincial Grand Lodge , which has actually been done since . I again affirm that the Provincial Grand Lodge had nothing to do in the case of Bro . C . and others ivith Rule cap . 21 , sec . 9 , that being a rule applying to daughter lodges and their members .

Bro . C . also says that I tried to give extracts from cap . 13 , sec . 4 . I did no such thing , neither do I intend to do now . I £ eep to the point at issue . I quoted cap . 13 , sec . 5 , but either the printer or I put down the figure 4 by mistake , but the words were all right . Cap . 13 sec . 5 . — " The Provincial Grand Lod

, ge shall hear and determine all subjects of Masonic complaint ov irregularity respecting lodges or brethren within the district , and may proceed to admonition , or fine , or even suspension , until the party thinking himself aggrieved bring the matter before the Grand Lodge or Grand Committee . "

It seems to me that Bro . C . considers the above rule to mean—that , if the party aggrieved appeals , he may go at large until the meeting of Grand Lodge . But I holdthatheis wrong , the meaning being that any party offending may be immediately suspended , and remain so ( even although he appeals ) until the

meeting of Grand Lodge , Avhen his suspension is either confirmed or removed . If it was otherwise , how could the Provincial Grand Lodge " hear and determine" anything ? I also hold that the Provincial Grand Lodge is a body sui generiswith special rules for its OAVU

, guidance in governing the lodges under it . But Bro . C . says no , for , Avhether they apply directly to it or not , he says , "The Provincial Grand Lodge ' is bound to obey all the laws of the Grand Lodge . " I suppose

Suspension Of Lodge Office-Bearers.

the old proverb is haunting his mind , "What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander , " ergo , what is done iu Graud Lodge ought to be implicitly folloived by Provincial Grand Lodge . Now , to show the foolishness of that assertion , and its opposition to real practice , I give the folloiving quotations from Grand Lodge laws , showing the contrast under different circumstances : —

" In Grand Lodge . " Cap . 3 , sec . 1 . —The whole office-bearers of the Grand Lodge shall be annually elected by its members . " In Provincial Grand Lodge . " Cap . 13 , sec . 1 . —Each province shall have a Prov . G . M . appointed during pleasureby special

com-, mission from the Grand Lodge , & c . ; and sec . 3 adds that the Prov . G . M . shall be entitled to choose , and to appoint by commission , from time to time , a Dep . Sub ., tivo Wardens , a Secretary and Chaplain , & c .

" In Grand Lodge . " In the absence of the Master the chair shall be filled in the following order—by the Past G . M ., Dep . G . M ., Sub . G . M ., Past Dep . " or Sub . G . M ., Prov . G . M ., Sen . G . W ., Juu . G . W ., Sen . G . D ., Jun . G . D ., the Master or proxv of the oldest lodge present , & e .

" In Provincial Grand Lodge . " In the ahsence of the P . G . M ., the order is—by the Dep . P . G . M ., Sub . P . G . M ., Sen . P . G . W ., Jun . P . G . W ., the Master of the oldest lodge present . " It will thus be seen that in the filling of the Prov . G . M . 's chair the Deacons are ignored , also past officebearers . I think I have now shown that Prov . Grand Lodge has special laws applicable to itself alone .

I do not know whether it is the fact or not that nine-tenths of the appeals from Provincial Grand Lodge have been reversed—the most of them must have been before my day , so I take nothing to do with them ; but I do know that , in the case Bro . C . quotes of himself aud others , the decision of the majority of Provincial Grand Lodge was reversed in

Grand Lodge ; but it so happens that I was one of the minority iu Provincial Grand Lodge on that occasion , and stood out for alloAving certain brethren to go free after they had made the explanations and apologies ivhieh they did make , but the majority considering that punishment insufficient , the case went to

Grand Lodge , Avhich , it seems , supported the views of the minority ; at all events , the Provincial Grand Lodge decision ivas reversed . Then , as to giving my name , I do not see what difference that Avould make to my arguments . It ia ont of them that Bro . C . must take his satisfaction

, not out of me personally . Besides , Bro . C . and I are almost strangers , at least , I never remember exchanging a single word with him ( viva voce ) , but if you , Bro . Editor , consider it necessary or judicious to give my name , you may do it . I may inform Bro . C . that I am not an office-bearer in the Provincial

Grand Lodge , and that I have no personal feeling against him ; but if he or any one else makes statements which I consider to be incorrect , I take the liberty , if I choose , of answering them , sometimes signing my name , or , as fancy led me before to subscribe myself , and as I again do , Yours fraternity , A MEJIBEB OE THE PEOV . G . LOBGE .