English And Irish Lodges In Canada.

ENGLISH AND IRISH LODGES IN CANADA .

AVe request the attention of the Colonial Board to the following : — OEL'ICAX—G-KAND LOD & E OT RnODE IsLASD . Office pf the Grand Secretary , ~) Providence , Feb . 21 , A . L . 5862 j In QuarterlCommunication this clayit is

y , RESOLVED—That ai ^ r member of either of our subordinate lodges , who by reason or on account of his removing from the jurisdiction of his own lodge , or any other matter , may desh'C to become a member of another lodge , shall , after his application has been accepted by the loclge to which he may apply for membership , and

before being qualified as a member thereof , give notice in writing of such acceptance to the lodge of which he is a member ; wherepon such lodge shall , at a regular conimunication thereof , grant to the member a dimit , unless there shall be good and sufficient cause for refusing the same . Notice of tho granting of such dimit , or the refusal so

to do , shall be forwarded by the Secretary of tlie lodge under its seal , to the loclge to which said application for membership shall have been made . And no lodge shall permit such member to qualify himself until the

aforesaid dimit shall be granted , nor shall any ledge grant a dimit to any member until he shall have made application for membership to some other lodge ancl been accepted . RESOLVED—That all Masons in this jurisdiction who are now members of any two of our subordinate lodges be , and they are hereby required forthwith to terminate

their membership in the lodge in which they were first admitted , in the manner prescribed in the edict this day adopted . By an edict ofthe M . W " . Grand Master of Masons in Canada , dated January 16 , A . L . 5862 : — St . George ' s Lodgo ( No . 643 , ) and St . Lawrence Lodge ( No . 923 ) English Registerof Montrealand St . John ' s

, , , Loclge ( No . 209 ) , Irish Register , of London , Canada , are declared to be irregular and unconstitutional . The subordinate lodges of this jurisdiction will therefore pay duo heed to said edict , and govern themselves accordingly . You will cause the aforegoing to be read in open lodge at the meeting following its receipt , for the information

of the Craft . Blank forms of dimit and of the notices required by the aforegoing edict will be forwarded as soon as possible . TuroiAs A . DOYLE , G . Sec .

Freemasonry And Its Members.

FREEMASONRY AND ITS MEMBERS .

We have . ' received tho following address to Ereemasons in general , and the members of each individual lodge in particular , from a brother well known to us . BRETHBEX ,- —Bear with me a few minutes whilst in an imperfect manner , with my unworthy pen , I address to you a few words with well-meant intention .

Many imagine that because they have been baptized , and occasionally attend a place of divine worship , therefore they are christians ; likewise , not a few , who have been initiated and now and then present themselves at the meetings of their lodge , consider that they are Freemasons ; but in neither of these cases is such a supposition necessarily correct . Baptism is but the entrance

to Christianity—initiation but the portal to Ereemasonry —and he who is content with entering in at either without pursuing the path leading therefrom is neither a Christian nor a Freemason . Moreover , the attendance

at the place where the outward forms of either are celebrated is but itself a form , unless the heart and understanding are with the worship or the ceremony ; for , both institutions are , intheir integrity , matters ofthe heart , though necessarily outwardly shewn by forms and deeds . In thus drawing a parallel between Christianity and EreemasomyI would Jnot for one moment be

, understood as placing them on a level .- far from me be any such intention . Every man's first duty is to his God ; secondly , to his immediate family ; and thirdly ( if a Mason , ) to the craft ; which , when properly understood , includes his duty to himself , his country , and his fellow-man .

Again , although the outward forms and ceremonies are not the essential parts of Ereemasonry , neither must thoy be neglected , for man's constitution unfortunately is such that he is prone to attach no importance to that which is not evidenced to his senses . It is a lamentable fact that many obtain , access to our noble institution through most unworthy motives : some from mere

curiosity , and some thinking to obtain ; , pecuniary advantages from it . If such men see the ceremonies gone through in a loose , imperfect , and indifferent manner , they look upon them as an idle form of words , and , ultimately , upon the order with indifference , and even sometimes with contempt ; whilst , on the other hand , if they are gone through solemnly , correctly , and as they

ought to be , they awake tho candidate's attention , and frequently lead him to pursue the science , and , eventually , to understand Preemasonry as it really is . There is , unfortunately , in many lodges , an undue eagerness amongst the members to hold office , whether fitted for it or not , forgetting the essential principle of Ereemasonrythat promotion should by merit and

, go not by seniority . Let then , for the future , any brother who from his present position in his lodge is , accordingto ancient custom , entitled to promotion , take care to properly qualify himself for it ; and if from any cause he is unable so to do , let him gracefully retire , always tnat true brother

rememoering , as a , ne should look to the interests of the Craft rather than to his individual advancement . Let also every brother who , as a member of a lodge , has a voice in tho election of its chief officer , remember that he abuses his privilege if ho votes forany ono who is not fully suited for the office , or ( if there be none such ) who has not evidenced a desire and intention of becoming so .

It is not an uncommon thing , on enquiring in a town or city whether Masonry prospers in it , " to be told : " Alas ! it is not what it used to be ; all the old members have left the lodge , matters are loosely conducted , and the thing is fast going down hill ! " Tho reason generally assigned for this is , that some brother has done something offensive to many others but although

; the recusant brother may have long since withdrawn from the lodge , the offended parties do not return to their allegiance . "Brethren , these things ought not so to be 1 " Would you cease to attend your Church because a few who go there may be hypocrites ? Would you cease to support your Queen because some of her subjects may bo traitors ? A man who has ever had a

true Masonic spirit should , when he sees things going wrong , put himself forward and do his best to set them right , and not stand supinely by . Lukewarmness is in itself a slow decay .

The fault of many lodges being imperfectly and inefficiently conducted seldom rests with an individual . Generally , every member is a little to blame : for there is none so weak but what , if the spirit be willing , _ he may give some help ; and even if only anxious to improve himself , such improvement tends to the welfare of the lodgo of which he is a member .

Let us then , one and all , do something for the advancement of the Craft , and endeavour ourselves to understand what Ereemasonry really is . It is not a