Masonic Constitutions.

district or province of Edinburgh , and of the Master and Wardens , or in their absence , the Proxy , Master , aud Proxy-Wardens , of all other subordinate lodges . " Thus Ave perceive that Avhile the rank of Past Master of a Scotch lodge brings AA'ith it no privileges to the Avorthy brother who

holds that rank , the Past Master of an English lodge may , if he please , remain for life a member of the Grand Lodge of England . Any of our English P . M . ' s in India can , on their return to England , as a matter of right , take their places in the Grand Lodgeand take part in the deliberations

, of that body , Avhile the P . M . of a Scotch lodge has no such privilege . We believe the question Avas agitated some time since by a large number of Scotch Past Masters , Avho desired the privilege accorded to their bretliren of similar rank in

England . But their prayer Avas refused . But a P . M . under England and under Scotland is a different thing in some other respects , besides the difference of privilege . By the constitutions of the English Grand Lodge ( of Private Lodges No . 2 ) , " every lodge shall annually elect its

Master and Treasurer by ballot , such Master having regularly served as Warden of a Avarranted lodge for one year , and , at the next meeting after his election , Avhen the minutes are confirmed , he shall be duly installed in the chair according to ancient usage . " NOAV turn Ave to the Scottish

Constitutions , and at cap . xxi ., sec . 11 , Ave find that "every brother Avho has received the said three orders of Masonry ( viz ., E . A ., F . C , and M . M . ) , and who is not otherAA'ise disqualified , is competent to be put in nomination for , and to be elected to the Mastershipor any other office in a

, lodge . " Thus Ave see that Avhile in English lodges there must be a preparation for the Master's chair , by a year in that of either S . W . or J . W ., in Scotch lodges no such preparation for the highest office is required . Under the Irish Constitutions , Ave believe that a brother must serve as a Warden for

six months . Again , Avhile the English Constitutions order that the Master " shall be duly installed in the chair according to ancient usage , " i . e ., in a board of installed Masters , consisting of at least three ; by the Scottish Constitutions , " the installation of the whole office-bearers of a lodge ,

including the Master , shall be held in a just and perfect lodge , opened in the Apprentice degree , whereat at least three Masters , tAvo FelloAV Crafts , and tAvo Apprentices , must be present , or failing-Craftsmen and Ajjprentices , the same number of MastersAvhofor the time beingshall be held of

, , , the inferior degrees . " No distinctive secrets are imparted to a Scotch Master at his installation , and he cannot , therefore , be present at the board of installed Masters , at Avhich an English Master is installed .

But Ave riroceed to other matters . Under England , " of proposing members , " & c , sec . 3 , " No man shall be made a Mason in any lodge under the age of tAventy-one years , unless it be by

dispensation from the Grand Master or Provincial Grand Master . " We are unable to find any provision as to the age iu the Scotch Constitutions ; but Ave knoAV that it is the practice in Scotch lodges to initiate youths Avho have but just completed their eighteenth year , and therefore would

be ineligible for initiation in an English lodge . We have but one other point to remark upon . By the English laws , vide " of proposing members , & c , sec . 7—no lodge shall confer more than one degree on any brother , on the same day , nor shall a higher degree be conferred on any brother at a

less interval than four Aveeks from his receiving a previous degree , except as provided at p . 55 , " Avhere we find that "the W . M . Grand Master may confer on Provincial Grand Masters in the

colonies and foreign parts , a poAver of dispensation incases of emergency for a brother to be advanced to a hig her degree at au interval of one week instead of four Aveeks . " Under Scotland , however ,, the folloAving is the laAv , cap . xxi ., sec . 4 : " No candidate for initiation shall be advanced from

thedegree of Apprentice to that of FelloAV Craft , or raised from the degree of Fellow Craft to that of Master Mason , at a shorter interval than that of tAvo weeks between , each degree , unless it shall be certified by tAvo brethren of the lodge in which the candidate is to be passed or raised that he is

about to remove from Scotland within the interval hereby prescribed , or , in any particular case of emergency , to be allowed by the Master of thelodge , on the same being certified , and proven te the satisfaction of himself and his Wardens . " We

have knoAvn several brethren Avho , under the above laAv , have taken their three degrees at one meeting of a lodge . Now these discrepancies , although they are some of them of considerable importance , in no Avay interfere Avith the oneness of the science of Masonry ,.

Avhich is still one in all essential particulars .. Nevertheless , Ave should be glad to see greater uniformity in these matters . Why could notdelegates from each of the Grand Lodges meet ,, and consult together as to Avhat points could be conceded on either sideso that Ave might

not-, only haA'e uniformity in our Avorkiug , but our laAvsassimilated . We are not about to express any opinion at present as to the relative merits of these laAvs ; but surely , on Avhichever side the superiority lies , it Avould be better that there should be agreement . We earnestly commend this

matter to the consideration of the Grand Lodges of England , Scotland , and Ireland , and trust that ere long some steps may be taken to bring the constitutions into closer unity . In those severalcountries the inconvenience is felt but little , but herewhere there are lodges Avorkiug under

, the several constitutions in the same place , difficulties AA'ill IIOAV and then occur , Avhich Avould be entirely avoided by a greater similarity in the different constitutions . —Front i ? ie InrKaii Journal of Freemasonry .