Canada.

The reports of tho various District Deputy Grand Masters , on the state of Masonry , are on the whole satisfactory . But for the unhappy differences existing in the province of Quebec , the Craft might be said to enjoy almost undisturbed harmony . Since the emergent communication of this Grand Lodge , held on 1 st December last , the members of several of our loci-res , who had been deprived of their Masonic rights and privileges by the action of some of their number , whose sympathies were in favour

of thc so-called Grand Lodgo of Quebec , made application to me to be maintained in the ri ghts guaranteed to them by our own Booh of Constitutions ; and as my action in regard to these lodges has been sadly misrepresented , I deem it necessary to give , in full , the documents I issued , so that the Grand Lodge may be placed in possession of tiie facts , and thereby be enabled to understand the true position of affairs . The following was issued in reference to Victoria Lodge , No . 173 : —

" To all whom it may concern , greeting -. —Whereas , it has been represented to me , that the warrant granted by the Grand Lodge of Canada to the A'ictoria Lodge , No . 173 , Montreal , is now , and has been for a period of more than one month , held and retained by a brother , who still declines to place it iu possession of the loyal members of that lodge , and whereas , it appears that AV . Brc . Henry J . Gear , YV . M ., and ISro . J . T . McMinn , the Senior Warden , are not in accord with the

membership of Alctoria Lodge , twenty-seven of whom have declared their determination to remain true to their allegiance to the Grand Lodge of Canada : "Therefore , I do , by these presents , authorise Bro . Eobt . Murray , the Junior AA ' ardcn , to summon the meetings of the aforesaid Victoria Lodge , No . 173 , G . E . C ., until the next election and installation of officers , in the same manner as if the Worshipful Master and Senior Warden were both absent , and in case the warrant should not be forthcoming or available at

the next or subsequent meetings of the aforesaid Victoria Lod ge , I further authorise the business of said lodge to be transacted and its work performed as heretofore , under the warrant of the Grand Lodge of Canada . This done at the oflice of the Grand Master , in the city of Montreal , province of Quebec , Dominion of Canada , this Gth day of December , 1869 . " A . A . STEVENSON , Grand Master . "

Early in January , I received a communication from R . "W . Bro . Walker , D . D . G . M . for the district of Quebec , in which he gives the details connected with the defalcation of the Harino-ton Lodge , which had gone over to the secessionists of Quebec . Bro . Walker , however , rallied round him a few who resolved to stand firm by the constituted authority . A protest had been served upon the Master of the lodge refusing to join "an irregular and illegal body of Masons styling itself the Grand Lodge of

Quebec , a body which we do not recognise as being in existence , " and demanding possession of the warrant . Ei ght names are appended to the protest . The G . M . stated that as the warrant , furniture , & c ., had been taken possession of b y the seceding brethren , and as it appeared that there was no prospect of their being permitted to meet in the room they formerly occupied , I prelerred leaving the ease to be dealt with b y Grand Lodge . Our Constitution on the

question raised here , is very explicit . Under the head of "Private Lodges , " Sec . 33 , it is enacted : "As every warranted lodge is a constituent part of ( he Grand Lodge , in which assembly all the power of the fraternit y resides , it is clear that no other authority can destroy the power granted by a warrant ; if , therefore , the majorit y of any lodge shall determine to quit the lodge , the constitution or power of assembling remains with the rest of the members , provided their number be not less than seven . "

A number of members of Browne Lodge No . 103 , presented a memorial applying for a duplicate charter . The memorial sets forth " That in the month of November last past at a meotlii" - of said lodge , the warrant was treacherously and falsel y obtained from thc Master , and then and there , without any re ' < r ular vote of the members of said lodge , certain members of the lo ' . l' -e did then and then-rebel against the authority of the Grand Lodo-e of Canada , and did then transfer their allegiance to the

wouldbe Grand Lodge of Quebec , together with the warrant , books , jewels , & c ., belonging to said lodge , and that since that time the memorialists , members of said lodge , remaining loyal to the Grand Lodge of Canada , and refusing to recognise the authorit y of the would-be Grand Lodge of Quebec , have , in consequence , been deprived from meeting in their said lodge , " Wherefore tho Memorialists " pray that a duplicate warrant of said Browne

Lodge be granted to them , free of charge , authorising them to meet at the village of Adamsville , county of Brome and the district of Bedford , in the Province of Quebec . " And , whereas , after due deliberation , I deem it to be my duty to comply with the prayer of the Memorialists—Therefore , by virtue of the power vested in me as Grand Master . I do by these presents authorise and empower the brethren , whose names are

appended to the memorial , viz .: W . Bros . G . IT . Kemp , W . M . ; Charles Browne , P . M . ; E . H . Higgins , P . M .,- E . Eacicot , P . M . ; and Bros . Ira Scott , Thomas Ferguson , David Goddard , Elias Clow , John AV . Knight , Peter A . Martin , and AVilliam Rider , to continue as heretofore the work and budness of Browne Lodge , No . 163 on the registry of tiie Grand Lodgo of Canada , fhe meetings of said lodge to be held at the village of Adamsville , aforesaid .

Similar application was made in the matter of Nelson Lodge , No . 8 , and Victoria Lodge , No . 173 , and the Grand Master authorised the memorialists to cary on the work of the lodge . The Grand Master considered that there was no question whatever that the brethren of those lodges were entitled to duplicate warrants ; yet , after mature deliberation , he concluded it would be the proper course to defer taking any action until the meeting of the Grand Lodge . His reasons for this decision were simply these That

: in the meantime they were in possession of sufficient authority to continue their work as heretofore ; and , 2 nd , that , possibly , in some cases , the originals mi ght have been forthcoming or available previous to that date . " The Lodge of Antiquity , aud Shawonogam Lodge , No . 134 ( whose warrants were abstracted last fall ) , are also entitled . to be furnished with duplicates . The lodges at present working in tho Province of Quebec

, under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Canada , are eighteen in number , viz . : Lodge of Antiquity Montreal . Dorchester , No . 4 St . Johns . Nelson , No . S Phillipsburgh . St . George ' s , No . 19 Montreal . Zetland , No . 21 do . Shefford , No . 53 Waterloo .

Yamaska , No . 130 Granby . Shawenegam , No . 134 Three Rivers . Aylmer , No . 138 Aylmer . Quebec Garrison , No . 160 Quebec . Browne , No . 163 Adamsville . A'ictoria , No . 173 Montreal . St . John's , No . 175 Masonville . Eoyal Canadian , No . 1 S 7 Sweetsburgh . Mount Roval . No . 9 , 09 , Ar ™ ci

Brome Lako , No . 211 Knowlton . Mount Moriah , U . D Montreal . Sutton , U . D Sutton Flats . There are still other matters to which I would have averted , bad time permitted , but I have already occupied much more space than I contemplated at the outset . There remains however , this vitall y important question to be considered—AVhat is to be done in the

present po-nion of affairs ? The question is one which is move easily asked than answered , and its consideration may well occasion anxiet y iu the mind of every member of Grand Lodge . The determination arrived at in this ease will be viewed with interest throughout both continents , and its influence will be felt far and wide . Grand Lodge sovereignty is in reality upon its trial , ancl the Masonic world are looking on with

deep concern . The line of action adopted now will not only be fraught with momentous consequences to ourselves , but will exercise an immense influence , for good or evil , upon the future of Freemasonry in other countries . It becomes us , then , to consider well what that action should be , so that no false step may be taken which might prove injurious to Freemasonry , and bey source of regret to us for years to come . Entertaining as clofirm conviction that

I , a the conclusions arrived at iu December last were based upon correct . Alasonic principle , I cannot be expected to concur with those who are ready to yield everthing for the sake of peace , or even a questionable expediency ; nor can I bring my mind to believe that Grand Lodge organizations ought to be tossed about , swept away , or destroyed , at the whim or caprice of statesmen or politicianswhenever they find

, may it convenient or necessary to make even such alterations as were made here about three years ago . This would , in my humble opinion , be placing the fate and destiny of Grand Lodges in the hands of men who may not even be members of our Order . Look at the question from another point of view , Suppose the Local