United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

LOHDOST , SATURDAY , SFFTFJIBFR 1 , 1801 .

The quarterly communication of Grand Lodge of "Wednesday last was more distinguished for those who were absent than those who were present—there heing s " o Grand Master—mo Deputy Grand Master—NO Senior "Warden—nor NO Junior "Warden ; and we "beg to remind

the two latter officers that they are , under the Book of Constitutions , duly fined one guinea each to the general fund of Charity , which we trust they will forthwith pay , as , should they not do so , their offices "may be declared vacant , and any rank or distinction acquired in

consequence of " their " appointment forfeited . " That such may take place is no doubt a beautiful theory never ptit into practice , as we have never yet heard of any Grand "Warden being so deprived of office—though we believe that the General Charity Eund would be somewhat

richer than it is if all the fines incurred since the M . W . G . Master first assumed his office were enforced ; and if any independent brother would move for a return of the fees of honour on appointment to Grand Office , and of fines for non-performance of the duties , for the

last ten years , not paid or not applied for , it would make a very pretty page on the Grand Lodge books , and show how well the laws of the Order are enforced against those who ought to be the first to respect them . In the absence of these four distinguished officers o f

Grand Lodge the chair was taken by Sir Lucius Curtis , Bart ., Prov . G . M . for Hampshire , Col . Burlton , P . Prov . G . M . for Bengal , officiating as D . G . M . We are not going to question the fitness of either of these respected brethren to fill the offices they assumed , but we deny

that , jjunder the Book of Constitutions , they had any right to the position—unless they be P . G . Ws . a fact we are not aware of .. "We do not deny that it has been been the custom of late years for Prov . G . M ' s . to take the chair in the absence of the G . M . and D . G . M . —and

they have had far too many ojiportunities of doing so—¦ but they have assumed powers which never belonged to them , and which the Booh of Constitutions does not justify .

Prov . G . Ms , are but modern introductions into Masonry as compared with the Wardens , who have existed from all time—from the very moment when men first aggregated themselves into lodges , whether as operative or Eree and Accepted Masons . These "Wardens have defined duties to perform , one of which is to preside

in the absence of the Master , and the same law applies to the Grand as well as to private lodges . We are aware that the power is claimed for the Prov . G . Ms , under clause 12 in the Booh of Constitutions , page 22 which says ; "If at any Grand Lodge , stated or occasional , the Grand

Master bo absent the lodge shall be ruled by the Grand Officer or Past Grand Officer next in rank and seniority who may be present . " Now though in the table of precedence the Prov . Gr , Masters , and D . Prov . G . Masters are placed before the Grand Wardens , we contend that they are not , nor ever

have been Grand Officers—in right of their Provincial Grand Mastership—and their being so placed in the list ; of precedence is merely a bit of the tinsel upholstery of Ereemasonry—an arrangement of the Grand Director of the Ceremonies for keeping the more refined gold of the

Order in a distinctive position . The very opening ceremony shows that the Grand Master , the Deputy Grand Master , and the "Wardens have each their allotted place in Grand Lodge , but the Prov . Grand Master is never once alluded to , ancl no one inquires or cares whether he

be absent or present . Certainly the custom of late years has given a sanction to the practice of the Prov . G . M . acting for the Grand Master or Deputy Grand Master , but because there has been a laxity in administering the laws there is no reason why it should be continued .

The Book of Constitutions , page 4-1 , in speaking of Prov . Grand Masters—Art . 1 . states that he is to he appointed by the patent of the Grand Master , and : —

"By this patent the brother is invested ivith a ranh and poioer in his particular district similar to those possessed by the Grand Master . " And again in clause 3 , "He may preside in every lodge he visits within his district . "

but not one word can be found of his having any right or power to act in Grand Lodge ; whilst the powers of the Grand Wardens are clear and indefeasible as m clause 10 , page- 21 , of the Book of Constitutions it is provided that

" The Grand Master , in his absence the Pro . Grantl Master , in his absence the Deputy Grand Master , or in his absence the Grand Wardens may summon and noin Grand Lodges of Emergency whenever the good of the Craft shall , in their opinion , require it . " And again , at page 28 , clause 2 , we find

" Should the Grand Master die during his mastership , the Pro . Grand Master , in his absence the Deputy Grand Master , or in his absence the Grand "Wardens , shall assemble the lodge . " iind moreover , should the Grand Master visit s private lodge , he presides over it , and " his wardens are

also to act as wardens of that lodge during his presence , " his deputy sitting to his right . Now all these various clauses show the powers and . duties of the Grand Wardens in lodge are superior to those of the Prov . Grand Masters , who doubtless we ? e

originally admitted to seats on the dais as representatives of the lodges of their respective provinces ; and , as a mark of honour more to their provinces than themselves , they were in the order of precedence allowed Ce march in jirocessions immediately next to or preceding the D . Grand Master , the Pro . Grand Master , and fee