Provincial.

India , m Australia , and even in New Zealand , and the cool assumption with which a Provincial Grand Secretary presumes to step in between the prerogative of the Grand Master and the editor of the FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE , and audaciously to stigmatise that publication " an infringement of the laws of Masonry" and " directly contrary to the 'Book of Constitutions , '" is something truly amusing . Does this brother possess a copy of that law he so flippantlquotes ? then let him

y compare Article 3 , page 77 , with the heading of the FREEMASONS ' MAGAZINE , hold his own circular in his hand , and perform a gesticulating operation supposed to be common to good Welshmen upon the present saint's clay . The brother went on to say—It is well known that the sole instigators to a movement which will make the province a laughing-stock in Masonic circles are a few disaffected members of the Glamorgan Lod who happen

ge to hold office in the Provincial Grand Lodge , and to whom the too faithful ancl correct report in the able publication referred to , of a most extraordinary ancl totally unprecedented proceeding , not to say an outrageous mockery , to which they were parties , had naturally given some offence ; but , added the brother , I am happy to say that the annals of the Bute Lodge never did contain , and I trust never will contain , anything it

would disgrace us to publish among brother Masons . Bro . Ware concluded with the following resolution , — "That this lodge desires to express its unfeigned regret that any attempt should be made in this province to suppress the faithful reports of Masonic proceedings in the FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE , ' a publication devoted exclusively to the interests of Freemasonry , and in whose pages such reports are published hthe direct sanction

y of the M . W . the Grand Master , the supreme ruler of the Craft , " and stated that he had not shown his proposition to any brother , much less solicited any to second it ; but that if any brother would do so , he pledged himself , unless it received the unanimous consent of the lodge , rather than disturb that complete harmony which had never permitted a division upon any subject , he would withdraw the proposition . —Bro . PHILIP BIRD ,

Treasurer , immediately rose most cordially and heartily to second a resolution , which had his complete concurrence . Bro . Bird narrated more than one pleasing incident in his own experience , owing to the publication of the reports of this lodge . He

stated that he had received several kind and truly Masonic communications from brethren at a distance , who knew nothing personally , of him but what they had seen in the pages of the FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE ; and he thought it too bad that because certain members of the Glamorgan Lodge choose to take umbrage at the showing up of their mistakes , an attempt should he made to deprive the province of all share in the annals of Masonic literature . He did not believe any such attempt would

for a moment succeed with the Bute Lodge , whose members were entirely ancl unreservedly in favour of such reports , ancl he hoped and believed that this resolution would be unanimously carried , —Bro . MARTIN , J . W ., also deprecated any attempt to interfere with the liberties of the Masonic press , and stated that upon recently visiting the town of Liverpool , the right hand of fellowship was held out to him by many brethren

total strangers to himself , but who told him that from reading the MAGAZINE they appeared to know almost as much of tho proceedings of the Bute Lodgo as they did of their own . —¦ Bro . DALZIEL , S . W ., followed upon the same side , and again referred to the discrepancy between the statement in the circular of the Provincial Grand Lodge Secretary and the " Book of Constitutions- " and expressed the common-sense opinion that

, the consent of the Grand Master must overrule all subordinate and intermediate authorities . —An interesting and animated , but at the same time perfectly good-tempered anel harmonious , discussion ensued , in the course of which not a single dissentient voice was raised to the original proposition . —At its conclusion the W . M . rose and said -. He was placed in a somewhat awkward , if not unpleasant predicament . As had been stated

during the discussion , his own present views upon this matter were entirely of a different nature to those implied and expressed in the circular of the Provincial Grand Secretary . Ho was entirely in favour of an unlimited restriction as regards the reports of Masonic proceedings in a solely Masonic and well conducted [ publication ; ancl , as had also been stated , it was quite true he had thought it his dutto convey those

sentiy ments to Provincial Grand Lodge . He was sure it would show , at any rate , bad taste on the part of the Bute Lodge to take exception to anything which had appeared in the MAGAZINE in reference to their own proceedings . The only fault which he could attempt to find was , that , as regarded his own humble

Provincial.

services , those reports had , perhaps , been written by too partial a hand . ( No , no ) . At the same time he felt it his stern duty to endeavour to uphold the authority of the Provincial Grand Lodge , of which he formed a portion , and on that ground , and upon that ground alone , he would feel bound to record an adverse vote upon this proposition , which would disturb the perfect unanimity so much desired in this lodge . He , therefore , with the greatest possible amount of good faith and good feeling ,

and with a renewed assurance that his own private views werequite in accordance with the rest of the lodge , called upon theproposer to redeem the pledge given upon making the proposition , at the same time promising that if this course were adopted , he would not fail to convey to the Provincial Grand Lodge what evidently was the unanimous opinion of the bretliren of the Bute Lodge upon this interesting subject . —Bro . WARE replied , that the perfect unanimity of opinion which had been

expressed upon tho matter had almost taken him by surprise , not having previously consulted a single brother upon the subject . He felt convinced that the motion was nothing but a . true utterance ofthe sentiments and feelings of the lodge ; and if he consented under these circumstances to withdraw it , the W . M . must take it as a personal compliment to himself ( the pledge having been given under a contingency which did not now exist , viz ., the fear of a division ) , as a token of admiration on the part of the proposer of

the manner m which the W . M . had always conducted the affairs of this lodge , and as a Masonic deference to the conflict between feeling and duty which he had expressed . At the same time , he ( the proposer ) begged again to express his opinion that this circular of the Provincial Grand Secretary's was an attempt solely pushed on by one or two dissatisfied members of another lodge , as undignified and unwarrantable as it was weak and . absurdto interfere with the liberties of the Masonic press ; and

, one with which , as long as a contrary line of conduct was supported by the unanimous approval of the largest and most influential lodge in the province , and had the sanction of the-Grand Master of England , he , for one , would never co-operate . — The worthy seconder expressed similar views , and still morereluctantly gave his consent to the withdrawal of the resolution , which course was , however , ultimately adopted , on the distinct

undertaking of the respected W . M . faithfully to convey the sentiments of the Bute Lodge to the Provincial Grand Lodge . —Bro . S . Harris being desirous of passing to the F . C . degree , underwent a satisfactory examination , and the lodge having been opened in tho second degree , Bro . Harris was admitted ancl passed to that degree . The W . M . subsequently delivered the lecture on the tracing board of this degree , a portion of the ceremony never omitted in this model lodge unless absolutely necessary , ancl the lodge was closed down finally in perfect harmony shortly after nine o'clock .

Channel Islands.

CHANNEL ISLANDS .

JERSEY . ST . AUBIN ' S LODGE ( NO . 958 ) . —The ordinary monthly meeting was held at the Masonic-rooms , St . Aubin , on Thursday , February 16 th . The lodge was opened at half-past six by Dr . Hopkins , W . M ., assisted by Bro . E . C . M . De Carteret , S . W . ; and Bro . Mannan , acting as J . W . in the absence of the regular officer . The post of I . P . M . was kindly taken by Bro . Peagam

, of the Royal Sussex Lodge . The minutes of the meeting were read and confirmed . The W . M . having stated the result of his inquiries respecting Mr . II . Montagu , a candidate for initiation , a ballot was taken , which was unanimously in his favour . Bro . the Rev . F . De la Mare , late Chaplain of the lodge , was elected an honorary member . The W . M . presented another set of designs , framed ancl glazed , for a lodge seal and envelope

stamp , and stated that the committee appointed for the purpose having made a selection , drawings had been sent to have the dies prepared , and a press had been ordered . Several accounts were directed to be paid . Bro . II . A int was presented for examination on the first degree , and having answered very satisfactorily , was entrusted , and subsequently duly passed as a Fellow Craftafter which he received the customary charge

, from the W . M . The W . M . read the portion of the published proceedings of Grand Lodge on December 4 th , so far as they referred to the appeal of Bro . Baudains and others against the decree of the Prov . G . M . of Jersey for their suspension . The lodge was closed in the second degree . Bro . Hoequard , P . M .,