The "Grand Lodge Of Quebec."

Allusion is made to the eleven remaining " regular Lodges" in the Province of Quebec belonging to the registry of Canada , and refers to " the many leading members known to be in each of them , " who favour the schism , but no mention is made of the number of brethren or

members of the Lodges , which the Grand Lodge of Quebec claims as her own , who have refused to join the schismatics , in every case , wo are informed , of sufficient number to continue the work of the Lodges , which they have done and will

continue to do . We are not informed whether the seceding members of these Lodges have taken possession of furniture and jewels , but as they are working their Lodges under the new jurisdiction , we may presume they have done so . This is an act clearly illegal , as it is provided by the constitution that while seven members

remain the Lodge cannot be broken up . The majority of the members , therefore , have no legal power to take the Lodge over to the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Quebec ; all they can do is to resign their membership , and rejoin what must

prove to be an irregular Lodge . This irregularity is admitted by the fact of the eleven remaining Lodges on the Registry of tbe Grand Lodge of Canada being alluded to as " regular Lodges . " It is impossible that there can be two regular

Masonic jurisdictions in one territory , and if the schismatics admit the remaining eleven Lodges , who continue their allegiance to the Grand Lodge of Canada , to be regular , they thereby unequivocally declare themselves irregular .

The Grand Master says : — It is almost incredible that the D . D . G . M ' s . of the districts of Montreal and Bedford , should have to report

that dispensations or warrants have been granted by the G . L . of 0 . ' to open one now lodge in each of their districts . ' It should bave been well known to the humblest brother , official , or unofficial , having the least possible knowledge of the constitutions , and laws of the fraternity , that from and after the formation of this Grand Lodge ,

no lodge opened in the province of Quebec , by any other than this Grand Body could be considered a ' regularly formed' Lodge of Freemasons , unless constituted or made ' regular' by the Grand Lodge of Quebec . No question of recognition , or non-recognition , nor any other such like consideration , could in any -way affect or change the

de facto existence of this Grand Body ns the only rightful Grand Lodge in and for the Province of Quebec , from and after the 20 th of October , 1869 , and from which alone dispensations , or warrants for new lodges could ' regularly' be obtained . And as to the few ' duplicated lodges , it surely cannot be otherwise than that all

misunderstandings will be speedily removed , and harmony , con cord , and fraternal unity again prevail . " The sooner harmony , concord , and fraternal unity again prevail the better , but we fear that the Quebec secessionists are going the wrong way to

secure it . Their statements are contradictory and completely untenable . Almost in the same breath they admit the regularity of the remaining lodges ; on the other hand they deny the right of the Grand Lodge of Canada to grant warrants for

new lodges . Surely if the Grand Master can hold sway over these lodges and continue the appointment of Grand Masters to the respective districts , there cannot be the slightest doubt that he has a legal right to grant dispensations for new lodges .

The Grand Master states that the lodges on the register of the Grand Lodge of Quebec have not " retaliated " by refusing visitations to brethren in good standing in regular lodges . How condescending ! " Nor , as might

readily be done , has this Grand Lodge retaliated by granting dispensations to form lodges in the sister Province of Ontario ? " Truly magnanimous ! We in England will next have to congratulate ourselves that there is no likelihood of a disturbance

of our harmony , from the fear of the " Grand Lodge of Quebec" granting warrants for lodges in England ! But while so nobly disdaining to encroach on a portion of the territory , the new Grand

Lodge , like another Alexander , is already seeking fields for new conquests . It has already got an eye upon the " goodly province of Manitoba , " the " recently acquired territory of Hudson ' s Bay , " and the Colonies of Newfoundland , Prince Edward

Island , British Columbia , and " other Colonies , so soon as they may be admitted as provinces in this Dominion . " The Grand Master intimates that should petitions be made for new lodges in any of these territories , he should have no hesitation in granting them . This hardly comes under the

term " unbiassed by the improper solicitation of friends "; and the rule that governs the introduction of candidates into private lodges , should be strictly observed in the higher ranks of the Craft . It savours too much of the touting system , and derogates greatly from the high tone which we look for in a Grand Master .

SIGNET . —A . sign , token , or seal . Formerly rulers had seals or signets with which they invested their ministers , as signs that tbey acted by royal authority . The signet of King Solomon , or rather of Hiram , known among Masons , is said to have been a token of friendship which tho King of Tyro sent to the Hebrew monarch .