The Masonic Mirror.

" Indulging in the hope that a full recognition , based upon mutual confidence and JIasonie principle , will be properly accorded , " I have the honour tu be , Jlost AA orshipful Sir and Brother , " Yours fraternally , "AA M . Jt . AA n . SOX , " Grand JIaster of the JIasons in Canada .

" The Right Hon . the Earl of Zetland , " Grand JIaster of JIasons in England , " &< :., & c , &' c . " The M . AV . Grand JIaster then said—Brethren , in conformity with the notice which I havo put upon the paper I shall proceed to state to 5 ou as concisely and as shortly as I can , the views I entertain on this question . AA'hen the subject came before us at the last Grand Lodge I was not aware that the Grand Lodge of Canada

claimed a jurisdiction over the entire province ; I was under tho . impression that all our Canadian brethren asked was an independent Grand Lodge for Canada AA ' est . It seems we were mistaken upon that point , and now , after having anxiously considered the matter , I am of opinion that we ought to comply with their request ; and I shall advise Grand Lodge ' to accede gracefully and at once to their claim , and recognize them as the Grand Lodge of Canada . At the same time I have thought it my duty to stipulate for the recognition and protection , in all thoir

JIasonie rites , of those brethren in Canada who still hold firm in their allegiance to this Graud Lodge . It appears that there are altogether only seven Lodges who still hail from us , aud ifc is likely that two or three of them will be soon extinct . I have not a doubt , from the kindness and fraternal feeling manifested in the letter you have heard read , that I shall be able to secure that protection for English JIasons in Canada which I think ifc my bounden duty to claim for them . The onl y thing in the settlement of the question which appears difficultisthat we have

, , still a Provincial Grand JIastor iu Quebec , but I believe that ho has intimated his intention to retire . There has been no Provincial Grand Lodge held in Montreal for some years past , so that we may look upon that province as extinct . I feel confident the Grand Lodge of Canada will accede to the demand I propose to make to ifc , and acknowledge our Provincial Grand JIaster so long as he may retain office as ruler of the Lodges which still hold under us ; and we shall in turn assure them that we shall issue no new warrants for the district ,

and therefore , in course of timo , the English Lodges Will become altogether extinct . There is One suggestion , however , to which I cannot accede . They suggest that we should ask the English Lodges in Canada whether it would not bo better for them to give up their warrants to us , and at once place themselves under the banner of the Grand Lodge of Canada . That is a ' recommendation which ought not to be given by us , and I am convinced that oil explanation ifc will appear to the Canadian Brethren themselves an improper suggestion , for I cannot but say that a kind spirit and a most fraternal feeling towards this Grand Lodge pervades

the Canadian brethren . I have seen copies of the warrant , and certificates of tho Grand Lodge of Canada , and thoy are facsimiles of our own , showing , in a most conclusive manner , that in those matters , as iu all their working , they are auxious to adopt the policy and construction of the Grand Lodgo of England . Nothing can , I think , be more satisfactory to the Grand Lodgo . There lis no brother in this country who has any feeling , or who has an anxious desire for the good of Jlasonry , but must rejoice to find it flourish in all parts of the world , and

see the brethren acknowledge those laws which conduce to the welfare aud prospevity of the Graft . That is my feeling , and is , _ . am sure , the feeling of every brother in England . There is one point I ivould call your attention to , because it very much confirms what I havo frequently expressed with respect to the secession of the Canadian Lodges . It appears , from the correspondence before us , that the most powerful motive which influenced them was a desire to establish charitable institutions for educational purposes , and for the relief of aged and distressed Masons and their widows , similar to those ive have in this country . This I think shows pretty plainly that it was not owing entirely to the neglect oi Grand Lodge , that they were induced to withdraw from