The Grand Lodge Property.

it . Again , the present proprietors of the Tavern and their predecessors have had a succession of leases Avithout the bugbear that they could not be enforced ever arising . After this subject had been discussed pro and con . for some considerable

time it Avas allowed to drop , on the understanding that it would be time enough to combat the difficulties when they arose . But the laAvyers were not satisfied ; and upon the Grand Master proposing to insert in the circular or advertisement

convening the special meeting a notice of motion for altering the laAV so- as to enable a committee to be appointed to carry out such plans for the re-arrangement of the Grand Lodge property , as may be agreed upon by Grand Lodge , another

legal objection was started , this time by the Past and Present Grand Registrars , that the legal notice had not been given under Rule 8 , regulating Grand Lodge , Avliich says : —

" It being essential to the interests of the Graft that all matters of business to be brought under the consideration of the Grand Lodge should be previously knoAvn to the Grand Officers and Masters of Lodges , that , through them , all the representatives of lodges may be apprised of such business and be prepared to decide thereon

without being taken by surprise , a general committee , consisting of the Present and Pasfc Grand Ofiicers and the Master of every regular lodge shall meet on the Wednesday fortnight immediately preceding each Quarterly Communication , at Avhich meeting all reports or representations from the Most Worshipful Grand Master , or the Board pf

General Purposes , or any board or committee appointed by the Grand Lodge shall be read ; and any member of the Grand Lodge intending to make motion therein , or to submit any matter to its consideration , shall , afc such general committee , state in Avriting the nature of his intended motion or business , that the same may be read .

No motion or other matter shall be brought into discussion in the Grand Lodge unless it shall have been previously communicated to this general committee . "

It is perfectly clear that , in order to prevent the brethren " being taken by surprise , " a notice of all business to be brought under the consideration of a Quarterly Communication must first be given at the General Committee or Board of

Masters , to be held a fortnight before each Quarterly Communication . But how stands the case with regard to Lodges of Emergency where no such committee is to be previously held ? Rule 10 says : —

"The Grand Master—in his absence the Pro Grand Master , in his absence the Deputy Grand Master , or in his absence the Grand Wardens—may summon and hold Grand Lodges of Emergency , Avhenever the good ofthe Craft shall , in their opinion , require ifc . The particular

The Grand Lodge Property.

reason for convening such Lodge of Emergency shall be expressed in the summons , and no other business shall be entered uponfat that meeting . " Under this law we maintain that the Grand Master has only to decide that , in his opinion ,

" the good of the Craft" requires an alteration in the laAV to enable him to call a Lodge of Emergency to consider it ; and if he has nofc this power , neither has he the power to call a Lodge of Emergency for any other purpose ,

unless notice of the motions to be brought for-Avard has been previously given at the Board of Masters , and at least nine-tenths of the Grand Lodges of Emergency Avhich have been held since we have been Masons have been illegal .

Another Regularity.

ANOTHER REGULARITY .

The proceedings of the last four Quarterly Convocations of Grand Chapter , have just been forwarded by the Grand Scribe E ., to the various chapters of the Order . Now , as these communications profess to be transcripts of the minutes of the Quarterly Convocations of the Order , they should be so literally , without

reference to any thing which may take place out of Grand Chapter , after the convocation has been closed in " ancient and solemn form ; " we maintaining that not even the G . Z . himself has the power of altering the minutes , prior to then * being issued to the various

chapters . But how have the minutes of the Grand Chapter been dealt with ? Under the regulations ( or in other Avords the constitutions ) of Grand Chapter at the convocation in May , the Committee for General Purposes ( ansAvering to the Board of General Purposes in the Craft , only Avith much less to do ) , has to be appointed , six being elected by Grand Chapter , and

three nominated by the Grand Z . The election duly took place on the * 7 th ult ., and those nominated by the Grand Z ., were Comps . Pattison , President ; Jno . LI . Evans , and Abraham A . Le Veau . —Comp . Pattison being present , and accepting the appointment , or at least not raising any objection , he having filled the

position for several years . It appears , however , that Comp . Pattison took offence at some observations of Comp . Stebbing with regard to the disrespectful manner in which Comp . . Farnfield was spoken of by the Committee of General Purposes , " as one of his

clerks , " in that part of their report recommending an increase to the salary of the Grand Scribe E ., Comp . Clarke , and accordingly , subsequent to the regular closing of the Grand Chapter , Comp . Pattison declined to hold the office to which he had been appointed , which we submit he had no power to do ; but supposing he had , the minutes ought to have notified his