The Grand Lodge Property.

THE GRAND LODGE PROPERTY .

LONDON , SATURDAY , APRIL 12 , 1 SG 2 .

In treating of the future disposition of tlie Grand Lodge property , there is one point on which we have not touched , though it is one which we are aware interests a large and influential hody of the Craft ,: — viz ., the accommodation to be given to the Eose

Croix , the Knights Templar , the High Grades , and the various other degrees now practised —though , not acknowledged by Grand Lodge . To us it is clear that in a building devoted solely to Masonic purposes , under our present laws , no rites or ceremonies can

be allowed otherwise than those acknowledged in the Book of Constitutions , viz ., the three degrees , including the Eoyal Arch , and if the high degrees cannot be permitted to find a home Avithin such a building , the more especially must the holding of meetings of Mark Masters Lodges be prohibited , for however graceful an addition it might have been

to the second degree , as once declared by Grand Lodge , we must not forget that Grand Lodge afterwards solemnly resolved that it would permit no interpolations into the work as laid clown in the act of reconciliation of 1813 , and therefore the continuing to work the degree , and the establishment of the

Grand Lodge of Mark Masters , was an act of contumacy against the authority of the Grand Master and Grand Loclge , which we believe was never taken notice of by the heads of the Craft , only because it was believed the innovation would of itself die out ,

and the so-called Grand Lodge soon become a thing of the past . So far , perhaps , they have been mistaken ; but it is clear that the performance of the ceremony of this and kindred degrees can never be permitted in a building belonging to the Craft , the majority of which know no other Masonry—and wish to know no other—than that laid down for them in the

Boole of Constitutions ; the three degrees of IS . A ., P . O ., and M . M ., including the Eoyal Arch . But if the ceremonies of the various degrees to which we have alluded cannot be allowed to he performed within that portion of the property dedicated to solely Masonic purposes—and we

maintain they cannot—for however beautiful those degrees may be in themselves , and however intimately connected Avith Freemasonry , they cannot be held by Grand Lodge to have any closer connection with it than the Odd Fellows , the Foresters , the Druids , the

Old Friends , the Antediluvian Buffaloes , or the thousand and one other appellations under which men occasionally congregate together . Masonry , pure and simple , it is clear can only be permitted to be worked in a building solely dedicated

to the pin-poses o £ the Craft , though perhaps the other degrees may be permitted to find a home in the Tavern , which we presume will be attached to our Masonic Hall , but only in common with the many other societies we have already alluded to , iind of

which Masonry takes no cognizance . In making these observations , we are in no way actuated by hostility to the High Grades—nor can we be , - there not being a brother engaged in the management of this Magazine who is not himself connected with

them—but we axe bound as Members of the Craft owing allegiance to the Grand Master and United Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons to point out that a building exclusively devoted to Masonic purposes , and created under the sanction and with

the funds of Grand Loclge can be used for no other purposes than those of the members of such degrees only as are sanctioned by Grand Lodge , however closely the members of other societies may be connected with the Craft ; and it will be for the members

of the High Grades themselves to consider what is the nature of the accommodation they require , and where they can best obtain it . The object of our sitting down to pen this article was , however , not so much to call attention as to what may or may not be done in a building devoted

to Masonry , as to point out from whence , in our opinion , the funds may be obtained for the support of such a building ; "We believe that there can be little doubt that the letting on a ground lease a portion of the Grand

Lodge property for a tavern and the taking into our hands another , and we hope the better , portion for Masonic purposes only we shall involve an immediate loss by Avay of rent of something like £ 1000 per annum , to which must be added for lighting ancl

attendance say £ 400 a year more , and for newspapers , magazines , etc ., not less than £ 100 , making a total of £ 1500 , which must be provided by the Craft themselves .

Now there are at present in London about 160 lodges from which we calculate there would be found an average of two subscribers to subscription coffee , reading , and writing rooms at £ 1 Is . per annum each member . 2 . From 90 lodges within one hundred

miles of London , we look for two members at 10 s . Gd . each . S . There are then about 200 lodges between 100 and 200 miles of London , to whom we would give the power of obtaining for their members at all times the same privileges as the regular subscribers

at-£ 1 Is . per annum for every ten members , or 7 s . 6 c ? . per annum for individual members , with an allowance where the number exceeds 2-5 . 4 . For 250 members above 200 miles from London , 15 s . for every 10 members ( or 5 s . for individual subscribers ) , with all allowance aboA r e 25 members , 5 . Monthly and weekly