The Masonic Mirror.

Colonial Board had consulted . The Board fully coincide in th opinion expressed on the subject by the Grand Registrar , and adopted by the Colonial Board , viz ., that the 'Book of Constitutions' does not in any way recognise honorary members of private lodges . When that book speaks of members it means only those brethren who are regularly contributing members to

tbe funds of the lodge to which they may belong . Such brethren only ought to be returned to Grand Lodge as members of private lodges . The status of an honorary member must be strictly confined to the lodge ivhich so elects him , and can in no way give him any position in the Craft outside the door of his lodge . He cannot , therefore , hold any office in the lodge , or vote

upon any subject which might , even remotely , affect the Craft at large . In short , his status and privileges as an honorary member entitle him to attend tho meetings of the lodge and partake of its refreshments without the necessity of being introduced by a subscribing member , provided always that he be a subscribing member to some other lodge . Honorary members

have no other right or privilege whatever . " The PRESIDENT OE THE BOARD having moved the adoption of this declaratory statement , Bro . H . G . WARREN proposed as an amendment to leave out the words , "Provided always that he be a subscribing member to some other lodge . " He moved that amendment on the ground

that a man might be a member of a lodge for forty or fifty years , and that lodge might wish to confer upon him special honour , but they could not do so unless ho was a subscribing member to some of them . If the law was defective before , and they were now going to amend it , he hoped they would make it perfect . Bro . MASON seconded the original motion , hoping that , if there was any doubt as to the privileges of honorary members

the question would be set at rest by the vote of that evening . The D . G . MASTER said the amendment as it stood would be inconsistent , if not with the letter , with the spirit of the " Book of Constitutions , " and , if it was to be done , it must be done by a substantive motion . He could not put this amendment as a side wind to the resolution . Bro . GREGORY said in most lodges the Secretary was exempt

from subscription , and be hoped that excellent regulation would not be interfered with , as tbey were entitled to all the privileges of the Board of Benevolence by the " Book cf Constitutions . " Bro . HAVERS said that Secretaries of lodges were regulated by tbe " Book of Constitutions , " in which it ivas expressly stated that they were not precluded from the privileges of the Board

of Benevolence , as their services were considered to be equivalent to their subscriptions . Bro . Si'MONDS hoped the Board of General Purposes would not press the motion that night , for if they were to pass a new law , Grand Lodge would be taken by surprise . If they thought it desirable that a now law should be enacted , let them give

notice of it at the next Grand Lodge , and then it could be fully considered . Tbe PRESIDENT OP THE BOARD said he should move that the report be received and entered on the minutes , bnt they had not yet come to that . Bro . Col . COLE , S . G . W ., said this question had been undecided

year after year ; it bad been shelved and put off , and then they had their A B C to go over again . He was a Master of a lodge , ancl the question of the privileges of honorary members had come up in a very awkward way ; and be wanted to know , from the legal adviser of Grand Lodge , what was the actual state of the law at present . If the Grand Lodge considered that the law as it at present stood required alteration , they must give notice of it ; but he was sorry the question had not been brought

forward before , and he must protest against the question being any longer deferred . Ho hoped the Grand Lodge would adopt the opinion of the Board of General Purposes , and by declaring what was tho state of the law , let it go forth throughout the country as such . The D . G . MASTER having ruled that the motion for tho

adoption of the report could be put without notice , Bro . SYMONDS , while bowing to the decision of the D . G . Master , said he should submit an amendment "That the matter be referred back to tbe Board of General Purposes , and that they be recommended to submit at the next Grand Lodge the exact words of the declaratory law they propose to be

adopted . " Bro . ADLAED said the Board of General Purposes did not first entertain this question , but it had received the approval of tho Colonial Board , and in that opinion they agreed . Bro . HOPWOOD said unless some very strong reason wag given , he did not see why this question should be longer

delayed . Bro . HAVERS concurred in the ruling of the D . G . Master , and said this was a right ancl proper resolution for adoption ; and the only doubt he had in his mind was , whether it had been brought before them in a fit and proper manner . In tim past he had occasion to battle for his reports , but he never

got a resolution passed unless he had given a substantial notice of the resolution he was about to propose . If the Grand Lodge approved of the expression of the Colonial Board , by all means let them do so ; but if they were taken by surprise , as had been suggested by Bi-o . Symonds , why , then tbey would act wisely to take the discussion on a future occasion .

Bro . H . G . WARREN said there were words in tbe resolution of the Board of General Purposes that were omitted from the resolution ofthe Colonial Board ; so that , if they adopted the report of tbe Colonial Board ancl that of tho Board of General Purposes , they- would adopt two things that would clash with each other . The G . REGISTRAR said no brother could visit a lodge more

than once unless he ivas a subscribing member , and no resolution could interfere with tlie " Book of Constitutions , " which did not recognise honorary members of private lodges , and would not recognise them . He agreed with the President of tbe Board of General Purposes that , in asking Grand Lodge to adopt tho opinion of the Board of General Purposes and the

Colonial Board , they were not asking them to enact any new law , but to declare what was the law on the subject . They said that was the law at present , ancl they asked Grand Lodge to adopt it . The D . G . MASTER said , if tbey were asked by the adoption of the new report to enact any now law , it would not be done ;

but tbey were asked to express such an opinion as would justify the Board of General Purposes in acting upon it ; but at the same time , without a distinct law it would not be legally binding on the Craft . If Grand Lodge wished to express a more definite opinion beyond that of the Colonial Board and the Board of General Purposes , that must be brought forward hy a

separate resolution . If they wished to pass a distinct aud authoritative opinion it must be by a distinct resolution , and discussed on a future occasion . The amendment was then put and lost . The D . G . MASTER then put the original resolution , which was carried .

REPORT or THE COLONIAL BOARD . Bro . HOPWOOD , President of the Board , moved that tbe report of the Colonial Board be taken as read , and afterwards moved that it be received and entered on the minutes . He